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THE 

MHRY FRilNCES 

SEWING BOOK 

or 
/IDVENTURES /JMONG THE 
THIMBLE P|:oPLE 



By 

J/!NE EAYRE FRTER 



Illustrated by 
J/INE /ILLEN BOYER 



THE JOHN C.VINSTON CO. 
PHlL/iDELPHm 



V/ 



<^ 



CAUTION 






The entire contents of this book are protected by the 
stringent new copyright law, and all persons are warned 
not to attempt to leproduce the text, in whole or in part, 
or any of the illustrations. 

Copyright, 1913, by 
Jane Eayrk Fryer 



BY THE SAME AUTHOR 



THE MARY FRANCES COOK BOOK 

OR 

ADVENTURES AMONG THE KITCHEN PEOPLE 

The Mary Frances Cook Book is the exceptionally 
clever and fascinating story of a little girl who wanted to 
learn to help her mother. Only it is much more than a 
story. It tells in story form how Mary Frances learned 
to cook. She wants to know what all the kitchen pots 
and pans are for, so she asks them. And they tell her — 
the pots and pans talk. The book gives recipes in the 
simplest, plainest words. It . describes every operation 
clearly — just what Mary Frances did, and how she learned 
to avoid mistakes. The book stimulates the imagination 
and creates a desire to follow Mary Frances' example. 
8vo, Cloth, 170 pages. Over 200 colored illustrations 
by Margaret G. Hays and Jane Allen Boyer. 

PRICE $1.20 NET 



^y^ 




iiLfriiuJi' 




Dear Girls: 

Many of you already know Mary Frances' old 
friends, the Kitchen People, and have learned to love 
them. I hope all of you will do so in time. 

This book tells the story of Mary Frances' new 
friends, the Thimble People, who helped her spend a 
delightful summer vacation at her Grandmother's. 
It tells how she met Sewing Bird, who was a real 
Fairy Lady, and the other Thimble People; and how 
they taught her a lot of fascinating secrets, and finally 
took her on a long journey to Thimble Land, and brought 
her back safely, after the most marvelous adventures. 
Because they proved so helpful and friendly, she wants 
you to know them, too. 

The Thimble People, Uke the Kitchen People, 
are peculiar in that they can be of little help to those 
who dislike them; so that, unless you are prepared to be 
fond of them, it is best not to seek their acquaintance. 





VI 



Preface 



Toward those who show indifference or dislike, they 
behave in a most contrary manner. For example, 
Tommy Pin Cushion is a regular porcupine, and 
bristles right up instinctively at the least inkling of 
dislike. But if he knows you like him, he will roll over 
himself to help. 

Another thing (and Mary Frances says to be very 
particular on this point) — if any little girl, who really 
wishes to learn to sew, will follow the lessons exactly 
as given by the Thimble People, she can hardly fail to 
win the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try for her very own. 

In the hope that all will achieve this much-to-be- 
desired end, this record of Mary Frances' new adven- 
tures is sent out to the girls of America with the best 
wishes of 

The Author. 
Merchantville, N. J. 




I. Sewing Bird 

II. Sewing Bird Begins to Teach . . 

III. The Long and Short of Basting . 

IV. Sewing Bird's Secret 

V. Sewing Bird Teases Dick Canary . 

VI. The Stitch Grandma Learned . . 

VII. Blanket Stitch, and its Sister 

VIII. Sewing Bird Fairy Lady 

IX. Magic and Mystery 

X. A Doll's Laundry Bag 

XI. Mr. Silver Thimble and Mr. 

Emery Bag 

XII. Mary Frances' Treasure Box . . 

XIII. Making a Doll's Apron 

XIV. A Loan from the Thimble King . . 
XV. Three Little Kittens 

XVI . A Surprise from Mother .... 

XVII. Mary Marie's Handkerchief . . 

Ivii] 



PAOE 

17 




26 




32 




40 




45 




50 


f10t 


54 

58 


S^^ 


66 


J^^^i 


75 


i^^ol 


82 


^^^ 


89 


^^^^^ 


93 


^^^^^^ 


98 


^^^^ 


103 


^^^ 


107 


1 


115 


I 






Vlll 


Contents 




CHAPTER 




PAGE 




XVIII. 


A Nightie for Her Little Nap . 


. 125 




XIX. 


Her Bath-robe 


. 135 




XX. 


Ma Chine 


. 145 




XXI. 


Aunt Maria Makes a Visit . . 


. 159 




XXII. 


A Ruined Dress 


. 175 




XXIII. 


The Flannel Pet 


. 182 




XXIV. 


The White Pet 


. 191 


^^^r-if 


XXV. 


Can the Dolly Talk 


. 201 




XXVI. A Fur-lined Cape 212 

XXVII. A "Dress-up" Dress 217 

XXVIII. A Party Dress 224 

XXIX. Mary Marie Goes Automobiling . 234 

XXX. Mary Marie Goes in Bathing . . 243 

XXXI. Muffs and Caps and Prettiest 

Traps 248 

XXXII. Who Stole Mary Marie's Clothes 254 

XXXIII. Mary Frances Visits Thimble Land 258 

XXXIV. What Was in the Fairy Bag . . 269 
XXXV. Mary Frances at Home 278 




nsi Of BtfrrEis 



's Laundry Bag 67 

's Apron 93 

's Handkerchief 119 

's Night-gown 130 

's Bath-robe . . . . „ 136 

's Kimono 154 

's Dressing Sack 156 

's Pinafore 171 

's Morning Dress 177 

's Flannel Petticoat 186 

's Underwaist 188 

's Lawn Petticoat 195 

's Drawers 198 

's Rompers 208 

's Bloomers 210 

's Leggings 211 

's Fur-lined Cape 215 

's Afternoon Dress 219 



1. 


Doll' 


2. 


Doll' 


3. 


Doll' 


4. 


Doll' 


5. 


Doll' 


6. 


Doll' 


7. 


Doll' 


8. 


Doll' 


9. 


Doll' 


10. 


Doll' 


11. 


Doll' 


12. 


Doll' 


13. 


Doll' 


14. 


Doll' 


15. 


Doll' 


16. 


Doll' 


17. 


Doll' 


18. 


Doll' 



II • 

s 


pi 


_ ......... 


— - 







^ X 



19. 


Doll's 


20. 


Doll's 


21, 


Doll's 


22. 


Doll's 


23. 


Doll's 


24. 


Doll's 


25. 


Doll's 


26. 


Doll's 


27. 


Doll's 


28. 


Doll's 


29. 


Doll's 


30. 


Lady's 


31. 


Lady's 


32. 


Baby's 


33. 


Girl's 



List of Patterns 

PAQB 

GuiMPE 228 

Party Dress 229 

Automobile Coat 238 

Automobile Bonnet 240 

Bathing Suit 244 

Fur Muff and Tippet 249 

Sun Bonnet 250 

Work Bag 251 

Rain Coat 269 

Polo Cap 270 

Wedding Dress 271 

Work Bag 273 

Belt 274 

Bib 274 

Collar 275 




DSTiCTlONS 



1. To Outfit a Work Basket 27 

2. Making a Knot 29 

3. Even Basting 36 

4. Uneven Basting 38 

5. Running Stitch 40 

6. Stitching 41 

7. Half Back-stitching 47 

8. Catch Stitching 48 

9. Overhanding 52 

10. Overcasting 52 

11. Hemming Stitch 53 

12. Blanket Stitch 54 

13. Button-hole Stitch 55 

14. Canvas Sampler 56 

15. Cross Stitching 57 

16. Grand Sampler on Canvas 59 

17. Hemming on Muslin 73 

18. Needles and Threads 76 

[xi] 








xii 


Instructions 




19. 


About Cloth — ^Weaving and Spinning . 


PAGE 

. 92 




20. 
21. 


Gathering 


. 94 


Stroking of Gathers 


. 95 




22. 
23. 


Setting Gathers 


. 96 


Kensington Outline Stitch 


. 104 




24. 


Hem-stitching 


. 119 




25. 


Sewing on Lace Edging 


. 120 




26. 


Making a Fell 


. 122 


^^^^^J 


27. 


French Seam 


. 130 


^^^^^ 


28. 


To Sew on Hooks and Eyes 


. 139 




29. 
30. 
31. 
32. 
33. 
34. 
35. 
36. 
37. 
38. 
39. 
40. 



To Make Eyelet Loops 140 

To Sew on Loops of Tape 142 

Feather Stitching 157 

Sewing on Buttons 160 

Button-holes 167 

Making a Placket 179 

Felling on Flannel 187 

Making Tucks 196 

Whipped Ruffle 199 

French Knots 231 

Eyelets 245 

Slip Stitch 250 




Instructions xiii 

PAGE 

41. French Hemming on Damask 275 

42. Darning Stockings 275 

43. Darning Woolen Goods 276 

44. Patching on Gingham 276 

45. Patching on Flannel 277 

46. Spider's Web 277 




DfflE 

O evind[D|ird. 
iniilver^lhimU 



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I i |ommy(T( 



omato 




ciS3org)[0|hea 
Needle DoolC 




tn. 



BodK 



|n|a|yiKme. 



U 




prk|Dia<>ket. 



IPIeeslVjlax. 
1 1 lard |o|tick. 



U ommon U 



rainar 



Uuttonkole d 



Eleedle-of-Porft -^ ^ 




ary 
045301^. 



I 



ave-to~ 



\ 



\ 



CjH/iPTER. I 

EWlN<5.tBlRD 



C 



*' >^XHEER— UP!" sang a sweet little voice 

Mary Frances looked at the canary; but 
Dick was very busily preening his feathers, 
and Dick seldom sang. 

''Cheer up!" gurgled again the sweet bird voice. 

Mary Frances was certain this time that it was 
not Dick. 

Maybe it was a bird outside! 

She looked out of the sewing-room window. No, 
not a single feather was in sight. All the birds were 
doubtless in their little nests, or hiding close in the 
barn to keep themselves warm in such a rain. 

''Dick!" said Mary Frances, "Dick, did you 
speak?" 

Dick only ducked his head again for a seed, and 
snapped off the shell with his strong little bill. 

"Peep! Peep! Peep!" sang a bird's voice, as though 
inviting Mary Frances to a game. 

"I'll play 'Hide and Seek,'" thought the little girl. 

[17J 





Dick 
eld om 



DicU, did^oLi ^peaU? 



18 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




"Where are you, Birdie?" she asked aloud; and, 
throwing Angie on the rocking chair, began to search. 

Another soft little "Peep!" drew her near her 
grandmother's work-basket. 

"Why!" she cried, "I could easily believe the voice 
comes from Grandma's basket!" 

"Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep!" the bird voice an- 
swered excitedly, as Mary Frances leaned over. 

"Why! Why! Why!" she exclaimed. "If it 
isn't — if it isn't Grandma's Sewing Bird! You dear 
little thing! Can you talk, too?" lifting her out. 
"I never thought of you!" 

"Set me up 

Upon the table, 
Then I'll sing 

As I am able, 
Chir! Chir! 

Chirp! Chirp!" 

answered Sewing Bird. 

Mary Frances carried her over to the sewing table 
and fastened her carefully to the edge, just as she had 
seen her grandmother do. 




TVir-owin^ An4}e in tWe irockin< chair. 



Sewing Bird 19 



The other Thimble People kept perfectly still, 
wondering what would happen next. 

''Do you know — you remind me of the Kitchen 
Folks, Birdie," said the Httle girl. 

''The Kitchen Folks! The Kitchen Folks! 
Of all the joyous, joyous jokes! 
The Thimble People's nearest kin — 
Best friends we are — have always been," 

sang the little bird. 

"The Thimble People!" exclaimed Mary Frances; 
"why, who are they? Are there many Thimble 
People? And what relation are they to the Kitchen 
People? Will you tell me all about them? And will 
they be my Httle friends?" 



''Tut! Tut! "The 

So many questions, Httle maid, Thimble 

I cannot answer, I'm afraid — People!" 

But I can say, without a joke, 
Your friends will be the Thimble FoUk." 





v5^*:!^ the little tiVd 



20 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




''Oh, I'm so glad! My, I wouldn't have missed 
knowing them for anything. Why, I feel as though 
I've known you for — for — ages!" 

''I was so afraid 

You wouldn't find me! 
And then, of course, 
You couldn't mind me, 
Chirp!" 

"Oh," said Mary Frances, ''wouldn't that have 
been dreadful! I was so lonely and dreary that I 
almost wanted to go home instead of staying here at 
Grandma's." 

"Are you alone 
In the house. 
Except maybe a mouse? 
Cheerp!" 

asked Sewing Bird. 

"No," said Mary Frances, "Katie's in the kitchen, 
• — but she's very busy, and won't bother with me, and 
my Grandma is out this afternoon, calling on some 
old ladies." 




Katie'^ in the kitchen 



Sewing Bird 



21 



''Oh, you poor 

Little lonely girl! 
It sets my head 

In quite a whirl; 
Let me sit here 

On this table, 
And comfort you 

As I am able." 

^'Well, you see, Sewing Bird," began Mary Frances 
gratefully, ''Mother is never very strong, and Father 
had to go to California on business; and he thought 
wouldn't it be nice to take Mother with him. So I'm 
here at my dear Grandma's for the long summer 
vacation; and brother Billy is camping with the Boy 
Scouts; Billy is a first-class scout, you know." 

"Yes," said Sewing Bird, pretending to look wise, 
"they have them in Thimble Land." 

"Have what?" asked Mary Frances. 

"Why, Boy Scouts, of course — in Thimble Land!" 

"Thimble Land!" said Mary Frances; "my, that 
must be where the Thimble People come from! Where 
is it?" 





Pretending to looU wi^e 



22 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

"A long way there — 

Perhaps you'll go 
Some day, if you will 

Learn to know 
That what we teach 

Is sew! sew! sew!" 

"So! So! So!?'' asked Mary Frances, looking 
puzzled, "What's so?" 

"Sew! Sew! Sew!" sang Sewing Bird, looking 
sharply at her with bright little eyes. 

"Sew! Sew! Sew! Sew! Sew! Sew! Sew!" 

"Sew!" 

"Sew! Sew!" she fairly shrieked. 

"Yes," said Mary Frances wondering at her excite- 
^ev^J" ment, "of course it's so." 

"I mean sew 

With a thimble; 
I mean sew 
And be nimble," 

sang Sewing Bird. 





Mary France^, looUitJ^ puzzled 



Sewing Bird 



'^2 



"Oh, ho," laughed Mary Frances. "You mean 
sew! How lovely! If I only knew how to really, truly 
sew! I do, just a little." 

"If you'd like to learn to sew; 
To baste and bind; tie a bow; 
Dress a dolly, head to toe, 
We can teach you how — " 

"Can you, really? Really and truly?" cried Mary 
Frances. "How perfectly dear! Oh, please do, 
please begin! Angle, poor child, needs so many clothes. 
When she went to the Tea Party, she spilled cocoa 
all over herself, and it spoiled all her lovely, lovely 
dress. It has always grieved me since. She's so tat- 
tered and forlorn. Will you teach me how to sew?" 

"I will most gladly; and quite true, 
I'll tell you what you'd better do — 
Get your Grandma every day 
To let you have this room for play." 

"Oh, yes, we'll have the sewing-room for a play- 
room. Sewing Bird; and you give me lessons! Must 




a doljy, 
to toe" 




I will mq3t ^ladjy 



24 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



they be secret — like the Kitchen People's lessons? 
And can you teach me? Oh, how happy I am! I 
wonder if I can surprise my dear mother. Can I learn 
to sew for my dolly this vacation?" 




pinatore 



"Why, certainly, dear little Miss, 
You can learn to make all this: 
A pin-a-fore, some under-clothes, 
A little 'kerchief for her nose; 
Kimono, bloomers, little cap, 
A nightie for her little nap; 
A dress for morn, for afternoon, 
A dress for parties, not too soon; 
A little cape, a little bonnet — 
Perhaps with roses fastened on it; — 
A nice warm coat to keep from chill, 
A dainty sack, in case she's ill: 
All this^and more we'll gladly teach, 
If you will do and follow each — 



will you?" 

"I will," 
what?" 



laughed Mary Frances, "but each 




^otne, AJnderclot-li 



es 



Sewing Bird 



25 



''Each little lesson, one by one, 
Then, after each hard stitch is done, 
Remember — 'patience brings reward!' " 

"What's 'patience'?" asked the little girl. 

"Why, 'patience'? Patience is Mary Frances' 
middle name — Mary P. Frances, — see?" 

"My, isn't that a nice name! Mary Patience 
Frances. And what's 'reward'?" laughed the Httle 
girl. 

" 'Reward'? Reward," said Sewing Bird, "is Angle 
all dressed up in the things we'll make." 

"Oh, I'd love to begin at once — can't we?" 

Sewing Bird gaily nodded her bright, shiny little 
head. 

"Goody! Goody! Won't Mother be surprised?" 
said Mary Frances. "I'll run and get my little work- 
basket that Grandma gave me." 








[-^^ 




dm 




1 [ \^RV^ 


\ 


1 


m 




i/^w 


f 


^ 




^^M 


B?^^=y^l 




ard' is [rt]ng^ie all drec^ed up in 




C|h/ipter II 

1»|ewingl(B1iiip beqjns to IXIe^ch 

THEN Sewing Bird began : 
''Little fingers, thin and nimble, 
Fit to one, a little thimble; 
Right hand — finger, number two — 
Put the hat on, — that will do." 

Mary Frances put her thimble on the second finger 
of her right hand. 

"I knew that much, Sewing Bird," she laughed. 

''What else do you know. 
If that much is so? 
Chur! Chur! Chur!" 

sang Sewing Bird, hopping up and down on one leg. 

"Why, I know how to thread my needle," said 
Mary Frances, to whom the talking of Sewing Bird 
seemed just as natural as the talking of Tea Kettle 
and the other Kitchen People. 

[26] 




San^ Sewing BirJ, hopping, up ^nd d 



own. 



Sewing Bird Begins to Teach 



27 



"I know, too, that you should put the end of the 
thread broken off next the spool through the eye of the 
needle, so that it will not kink." 

"Very good. 

And very true; — 

What in your basket. 

Pray, have you?" 

asked Sewing Bird. 

Then Mary Frances answered, 
articles needed, my Grandma said, 



These are the 




1. — To Outfit a Work Basket 

1. Spools of cotton, white, Nos. 36, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80; also 
one of red, No. 50. One spool of basting cotton. ,-p 

2. One little strawberry emery bag to brighten and sharpen '® 
needles. tnf*e3d 

3. Pins. ^ needle 

4. A piece of beeswax. 

5. A tape measure. 

6. A pair of scissors. 

7. A paper of ground-down needles, Nos. 5's — lO's. 

8. Some unbleached muslin. 

9. Thimble. 




To Outfit ei Work B^i^ket 



28 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




I 



needle^ 
eind 
working 
cotton. 



and, oh, look ! here is a large piece of Java canvas, and 
a package of blunt tapestry or zephyr needles, No. 19, 
and some red D. M. C. working cotton, No. 8, that 
Grandma put in here yesterday." 
'^Good," sang Sewing Bird, 

''Oh, that is fine! 
Is fine, indeed! 
The zephyr needle 
Is what we'll need." 

"Oh," laughed Mary Frances, ''I can thread 
that — you turn the thread over the needle, double, 
because a fuzzy end would not go through even this 
long eye. Then hold it tight between the thumb and 
finger, and push the needle over the double thread — 
this way. Mother taught me that." 

'^ Needles and pins! Needles and pins! 
This is where your lesson begins! 
Now, thread your needle. 
And knot your thread; 
If you know how — 
Please do as I've said." 




To thre&d a zepliyr needle 



Sewing Bird Begins to Teach 29 

"Yes," laughed Mary Frances. ''I know how to 
knot my thread; I'll show you, after I get this needle 
threaded — now! 

2. — Making a Knot 

1 . I wind the thread around the tip of the first finger of my 
left hand. 

2. I press it with my thumb and roll the thread downward 
to the tip end of my finger — so! 

3. Then I bring the second finger over the thread on the thumb. 

4. Then draw the thread tight with the right hand as I hold 
it." 

"Good! You'U easily 
Learn to sew! 
How many stitches 
Do you know?" 

To 

"Let me see," pondered Mary Frances; "there are m&ke 

basting, and running, and hemming!" ^ l<nci+ 

"Good!" exclaimed Sewing Bird, in a very nearly 
human voice, but much more musical and softer. 
"Good! Now I'll name over all the principal 
stitches: 





**(\ood!''exclai'med Sewtng BiVj 



30 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



home 



Even and uneven basting 

Running 

Back-stitching 

Half back-stitching 

Overcasting 



Overhanding 
Catch-stitching 
Button-hole stitch 
Darning 
Blanket stitch 




'^'My," said Mary Frances. ''I had no idea there 
were that many! I wonder — will I ever learn them all?" 

"Oh, yes!" Sewing Bird assured her, ''if you come 
for a lesson whenever you can." 

''Indeed I will!" said Mary Frances, "and how 
I'll thank you, dear little birdie." 

Just then the door opened. 

"My dear Httle girl," said Grandma, "how are you? 
What a dull day!" 

"Are you home already. Grandma?" asked Mary 
Frances. "I had no idea it was time for you to 
come." 

"Ah, my dear, you've not been lonely," said Grand- 
ma — then discovering Sewing Bird on the table, 
"You've been playing with my old-fashioned sewing 
bird, I see. Many a year this pretty little beak has 
held Grandma's long seams and hems while she 
sewed them." 




My dear liitU^iVi:\c^a.d ^r•^lnc!m^l. 



Sewing Bird Begins to Teach 



31 



''I think she's lovely!" exclaimed Mary Frances. 

''I love her, too, dear," said Grandma, a far-away 
look coming in her eyes. 

''The first time she ever helped me," she added 
softly, ''was with my wedding dress. Yes, I love her, 
too, dear." 

"Peep!" said a little bird voice. 

"Dick," said Grandma, shaking her finger, "Dick, 
you surely aren't jealous of the little sewing bird!" 






i"" 



•:2C 











i© ^i^t iime ^Ke ever helped me 
^^S v/itK my wedding^ ^"^^3 





ICJH/fPTER III 

BIhE^ONQ /INpfSlHORT OF (BJ/ISTINft 

''^^ OOD-BYE, dear/' said Grandma, taking leave 
I -w- of Mary Frances a day or two later. "You 
^-^ may play in the garden while I'm gone, if 3'ou 
want to." 

''I think I'll stay in. Grandma, if you don't mind," 
answered Mary Frances, not quite daring to mention 
her sewing lessons, "I have a sort of an engage- 
ment." 

''WeU! Well!" laughed Grandma, ''so grown up 
already? You have been out every day lately — I 
think perhaps you'll like to play in the sewing- 



room." 



''I hope you'll have a lovely time, Nanny," 
Ejy®' ^ said Mary Frances as her grandma closed the 
door. 

'^I wonder if Sewing Bird wiU be ready for the 
lesson," she thought as she skipped up the stairs to 
the sewing-room. 

''Sewing Bird! Sewing Bird!" she whispered. 

132] 




I hope ^ou II hhve ^ lovely time 



The Long and Short of Basting 33 

'^Oh, that's the call 
I love to hear; 
I'm always ready — 
Never fear!" 

came the sweet singing voice of Sewing Bird. 

Mary Frances was delighted. 

"I'm so glad you remembered, dear little bird," 
said she. "Where are you?" 

"Taking a rest, 
In my dear little nest. 
Chur! Chur!" 

came the answer. ^''w^''TV^'^"'^7,v,^'l?>•l,r':•:^^7 

"Of course, — the basket's j^our nest," laughed ^^ ^S§k^i0 ^ 

Mary Frances, carrying Sewing Bird to her place on "nT^kind 

the table. > *-^ 

"I asked Grandma if I could have the sewing-room . , ^ 

for my play-room, and she said, ^Certainly, my dear, */^ f-^ ^ „ 

you may — anything to keep you happy!' " utile ne^ 

"Twitter, twitter, twitter, twit," sang Sewing Bird 

— and somehow Mary Frances knew she meant, "I'm 

BO happy, too." 





"Twitteir, twitter, twitter, twit' 



34 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




1 love 

nnd 5«n^ 
^ncTsind 



"I love to sit 

And sing and sing — • 
But lesson time 

Is on the wing: 
Miss Never-Try 

Never can do; 
Miss Never-Begin 

Never gets thru." 

''Oh, dear me! Sewing Bird, I want to begin right 
away," said Mary Frances. "I hope to get so much 
done!" 

"Well," said Sewing Bird, "we will begin at once 
with that pretty canvas and Turkey-red working cotton 
(D. M. C. No. 8). You may cut some pieces of canvas 
seven inches long and one and one-half inches wide. 
Work on the sewing table — that will be easier." 

"Oh, I know," guessed Mary Frances, "the Java 
canvas is to learn the stitches on." 

"Yes," said Sewing Bird, "you use one of these 
pieces for each new stitch; the regular open spaces in 
the canvas will help us so much." 

"My needle's all ready from the last lesson," said 




1 want to be^tn fi^hi^^wgy^ 



The Long and Short of Basting 



35 



Mary Frances, holding up her threaded needle, "and 
my thread is knotted." 

''Little Miss! Httle Miss! 
Not so long a thread ! 
Measure it only 

From your hand to your head." 

''Oh," said Mary Frances, breaking off some thread. 
"Thank you, I didn't know that. I suppose it is easier 
to use only an arm's length of thread." 

"Yes," said Sewing Bird. "Now, it would be well 
to open the skein of cotton." 

Mary Frances did so. 

''Next clip both ends through — and j^ou will have 
several threads of the same length." 

"That's so much easier," said Mary Frances, "than 
cutting it each time." 

"Now, for a new kind of puzzle," said Sewing Bird. 
'Take one piece of canvas already cut. For convenience 
we will call the regular open spaces in the canvas, 
'holes.' " 

"Yes," said Mary Frances. "I understand, dear 
Sewing Bird; but please tell me the puzzle." 




"My 

needle^ 

fill reody 




'N 



ow, iE,r a new kind of puzrL 



36 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



''A puzzle then it soon shall be, 
A puzzle which ne'er puzzled me, 
A puzzle which I'll let you see — 
Its name is 




7i puzzle 
which 
I'M let 
^ou cee! 



3. — Even Basting (on Canvas) 

Cut canvas 7 inches by 1| inches. 

1. Thread needle and knot thread. 

2. Count five holes down from upper right hand end of canvas 
and four holes to the left. 

3. Put needle in this hole, pointing downward. 

4. Push needle toward the left under two threads, upward 
through second hole; pull through. 

5. Now, again, over two threads under two threads; pull 
through. 

6. Finish the row. Fasten thread by taking two stitches over 
each other in the same holes at the end. Cut off the thread. 

''That's not much of a puzzle," thought Mary 
Frances, sewing carefully. 

''Why is it called Even Basting?" asked Sewing 
Bird. 

"Because the stitches are of the same length," 
said Mary Frances. 




The Long and Short of Basting 



37 



''So wise you are — 
Soon you will be 
Quite a little bit 
Too wise for me,' 



sang Sewing Bird. 

"Ho, ho!" laughed Mary Frances. 

"You may wonder why the knot and the finishing 
threads are on the right side," continued Sewing Bird. 

"Oh, I know why," exclaimed Mary Frances. 
"Because basting stitches are used only to hold the 
work in place until it is really sewed, then they are 
easily pulled out if the knot and end are on the right 
side." 

"Bless my feathers. 
And bless my eye! 
Soon you'll know 
As much as I!" 

This pleased Mary Frances very much; but she 
said, "I don't know — for I have no idea what comes 
next, my dear little teacher." 





Ooon^oull know 
/Is. mucU acj 1 ! " 



38 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Oh, dear me! 

Our time we're wasting, 
The next stitch is — 




ThatV 

all for 
to • day * 



4. — Uneven Basting (on Canvas) 

1. Commence as in Even Basting. 

2. Point needle downward, and bring it up through next hole, 

3. Count three holes, put needle in downward and bring up 
next hole — 'under one thread, over three' to end of the row. 

4. Finish as in Even Basting. 

''That wasn't very hard," said Mary Frances, 
holding up the canvas for Sewing Bird to see. 
Then sang Sewing Bird: 

''That's all for to-day,— 
Put things away; 
And, now, little lady, 
Good-day, good-day!" 



As Mary Frances went down the stairs, she caught 

the sound of her name. Her grandmother was talking. 

"That's a wonderful child," she was saying. " She's 




Uneven Ba^tin^ 



The Long and Short of Basting 



39 



no bother at all. She spends hours in the sewing-room, 
playing with her dolls, just as happy as can be!" 

"Dear Nanny!" thought Mary Frances, ''I wish 
I could explain about everything — maybe the Thimble 
People will let me some day." 





"ir~|lext clip botK eacl^ tkrouoK — and you 
M K^^' ^^^^ tKreacl^ of the c^a me length 



Ouch! 




H/IPTER IV 



|ewinq[B|ird's iSIecret 

MARY FRANCES held up her canvas at the 
beginning of the next lesson, saying: 
^'Now, I know which of these stitches is 
which; and I believe I am ready to learn the next, my 
little teacher!" 

'^The next/' said Sewing Bird, ''is 

5. — Running Stitch on Canvas 

1. From under side of canvas, point needle upward, bringing 
knot on wrong side. 

2. Point needle downward through next hole, and upward 
through next. Pull through. 

3. Finish row, by taking several in-and-out stitches on the 
needle, then pulling through. 

_^ . 4. Turn to wrong side, and fasten by taking three stitches 

I rUlt nuft^ in same hole — this is the ' in-and-out-the-windows' stitch." 

my Tinbefc 

-^ <L^ U "Ouch!" cried Mary Frances. ''That hurts my 
fingers." 

"Of course, that is why we have thimbles. Be 

[40] 





Rjjnnin^ 3titch 



Sewing Bird's Secret 



41 




sure to use the knighted soldier finger, — and push the 
needle with its thimble cap," said Sewing Bird. 

''This way?" asked Mary Frances, holding up her 
little hand. 

Then Sewing Bird answered with bright eyes spark- 
ling, 

''Exactly right, 

And quite bewitching; 
And needed much 
In learning 



6. — Stitching (on Canvas) 
(Also called Back-stitching) 

1. Enter needle into canvas as for Running. 

2. Take one running stitch, bringing needle out on right side. 

3. Point needle downward through the hole to the right of Hnd C|i 
the one where the working cotton came out. bevyttcnin0 

4. Push needle under two threads : pull through. 

5. Repeat to end of row. 

6. Fasten as in running stitch. 

"Is that well done?" asked Mary Frances, holding 
up her first two stitches. 



:acth 



Exactly 
/ind quite 



€> 




Stitching 



42 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



"Oh, my, no!" said Sewing Bird. "You've gotten 
the thread all twisted. Please unthread your needle 
and take out the work. Then try once more." 

"Dear me!" sighed Mary Frances, "one can't be 
perfect before one learns!" 

"Try! Try again!" sang Sewing Bird, flapping her 
wings, 




ear me: 



Mary 
R*ar\ce« 



''It is the Thimble People's pride 
That they have ever, always, tried: 
Whenever they fail, — this is no tale. 
As you can easily guess, — 
They twist the failure round about. 
They twist and turn it inside out; 
Then drop it down a big, black hole, 
Discovered in back of the North Pole, — 
And up it jumps — Success!" 

"My, I wish my failures would do that! Maybe 
they will," mused Mary Frances, finishing the row of 
stitching very carefully. "Oh, there comes Grandma 
up the street!" 




Try) Try a^ain! 



Sewing Bird's Secret 



43 



^'Our lesson is 

Now at an end, — 
That's all to-day, 
My little friend," 



just then sang Sewing Bird. 

''I forgot to ask," said Mary Frances, ''May I show 
Grandma, or tell her about — about our lessons?" 

"That I already 

Should have shown; 
I cannot sing 

Where people grown 
Can hear: if they hear now 

Or even ever, 
I may become 

A Never-Never!" 

"Oh, ho," smiled Mary Frances, softly smoothing 
the httle bird. "I'm so glad I haven't told. I am 
certainl}^ glad, dear little Teacher Bird — I don't want 
you to be a Never-Never, — whatever that is." 




Our 

,le35oni5 
Now ^t 
dn end" 




Oh, ho! I m ^o ^lad 1 haven't told 



44 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



'^A secret let 

Our secret be — 
Too much for one, 
Enough for two, 
And not enough 

For three," 

sang Sewing Bird wisely. Suddenly — 

''Say no more, 

Oh, say no more! 
I hear your Grandma 
At the door!" 

fluttered the little bird; and Mary Frances quickly 
put away her work. 

Grandma smiled when she saw Sewing Bird on the 
table. 

''How you love my httle helpful bird, don't you, 
dear?" she asked. 

"I love her with all my heart," said Mary Frances. 





ow you love my little Kelp^l bird; 



C]h/ipter V 



EVINQldJlRO TErtSES ^ICKlCJrtNrtRY 



M 



ARY FRANCES heard this through the sew- 
ing room door: 

"Great kind of bird, 
Upon my word! 

Who cannot do a thing 
But sing and eat, 
And then sing sweet, 

And then again sing-sing." 



"Peep! 
Canary. 



Sweet, sw-e-et! Che-e-ep!" sang Dick 




"Of course, you have a pretty voice; 
Of course, you love to make a noise — 
If this rhyme sounds a bit contrary, 
It's good enough for a canary; 
But, Dick, what I'd really like to know, 
Is this: why don't you learn to sew?" 

[45] 



Peep! 
5weet„ 
^w-e-et? 
Che-ft-epl" 




'Qreat kincl oTa bird. 
Upon vny v/ord!* 



46 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Then Mary Frances stepped in. 
''Oh, Sewing Bird," she said, 
could be such a tease." 



T didn't think you 




"Good afternoon! 

' Tease,' did you say? 
I wasn't teasing — 
It was only play: 
I thought perhaps that pretty bird 
Would listen to a little word, 
And hold some sewing for his Miss — 
The way I can; See, Dick — hke this!" 

holding up a piece of goods in her glistening beak. 

''Oh, no," laughed Mary Frances. "I fear Dick 
would never be able to understand such a useful use 
of his bill — he's no tailor-bird!" 

*'0f course, it 

Truly must be so — 
He certainly could 
Not learn to sew; 




Oh.no,— Ue'^ no tdiloir-bircl 



Sewing Bird Teases Dick Canary 



47 



I see that he 

Is surely meant, 
Only to be 

An ornament/' 

sang Sewing Bird. ''But our next lesson — is your 
canvas ready, child? Yes? This time I'm going to 
count by threads instead of holes, when I give directions 
for 

7. — Half Back Stitching on Canvas 

1. Commence as in Stitching. 

2. One running stitch, under two threads. 

3. Point needle downward through hole to the right of hole Curiocity, 
from which the cotton hangs; under three threads: pull through 

4. Repeat to end of row. Fasten." 




"There!" said Mary Frances, finishing the row. 
''That seems like 'two steps backward and one for- 
ward,' or rather, 'two forward and one backward.' " 

"That's about the way it is!" said Sewing Bird. 
"But half back-stitching and back-stitching are both 
very strong stitches. Why, when your grandma was 
little, she stitched all seams by hand. Sewing machines 
were a great cu-cur — " 

"Curiosity," smiled Mary Frances 



cm • led 

Mary 
Frances 




Half back Cjtitckini^ 



48 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




''Peep — peep," giggled Dick Canary. 
''Thank you, Miss Mary Frances," said Sewing 
Bird, 

"Perhaps that Httle yellow bird 

Thought I didn't know the word; 

It's funny that it seems a joke 

When anybody stops to choke — 

Ahem! Ahem! Ahem! Ahack! 

Pat-me-on-the-back ! 

Pat-me-on-the-back! Quick!" 

"Better?" asked Mary Frances, smiling to herself, 
and patting the little bird's back. 

After a minute she said, "Excuse me, but is — the 
next stitch — is the next stitch a fancy one?" 

"It is!" said Sewing Bird, "and is called 

8. — Catch Stitching on Canvas 

1. At left hand end of canvas, count four holes down and four 
to the right. 

2. From under side, point needle upward: pull through. 

3. Count three holes down and three to the right. Point 
needle down and under this, one hole to the left: pull through. 

4. Count four holes to the right of first stitch. Point needle 
down through next hole to the left: pull through. 




CdtcK StitcK m^ 



Sewing Bird Teases Dick Canary 



"Is that right?" asked Mary Frances. 

"My, no," said Sewing Bird. "That is all wrong. 
Hold the work here near my beak. There, let the thread 
hang this way: 

"Now, pull it through. In taking the next 
stitch, let the thread hang this way: 

"There, that is better." 

"Oh, I see, now," said Mary Frances. "Isn't that 
a beautiful stitch!" 

"Yes," said Sewing Bird, — then, suddenly. 

"Beware! Beware! 
Beware! Beware! 
I hear your Grandma 
On the stair — 
Good-bye!" 






Y^ course ,^ou Kave a pretty 



voice. 




that 

1 heard?' 



C]h/iptei\VI 

[TlHE[S|TtTCH fGlR<1WDn5 LEflRNED 

MARY FRANCES stopped on the stairs to 
listen. 
''Surely/' she thought, "Sewing Bird is 
talking with some one. I wonder if it's one of the 
Thimble People. Oh, I do hope so!" and, as she 
tripped into the sewing-room, she asked, 

''Oh, Sewing Bird, what's that I heard as I came 
up the stair? It really doesn't matter much — for 
Grandma wouldn't care." 



"I cannot tell you what you heard, 

My dearest little Miss; 
But listen to a wisdom-word, 

For I can tell you this: 
If many times you make up rhymes, 

You may become a little bird," 



sang Sewing Bird. 

"Oh," laughed Mary Frances. 



'Caught myself 



50 




1 cannot tell^ou whttt^ou heard. 



The Stitch Grandma Learned 



51 



making a rhyme; — but I don't want to become a little 
birdie, even though they are so dear, — besides, I don't 
have wings." 

''No," said Sewing Bird. "I don't suppose you 
do want to be a birdie — for many reasons; — but the 
most important must be that little birds do not have 
hands!" 

''Hands are so wonderful!" said Mary Frances, 
"they can do so many things. They are pincers, 
hammers, wedges, and yet they can do the most 
dainty, delicate work." 

"Yes," said Sewing Bird, "they come in 
handy!" 

"Oh, ho, hee-hee!" laughed Mary Frances. 

"Chirp, chirp!" twittered Dick Canary. 

"Oh, Dick! oh, Dick! 
What lots of fun ! 
Do you pretend 
To see a pun?" 




v/ondemiTl! 



asked Sewing Bird. "But now to learn 




HemminC &titch 




52 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

9. — OVERHANDING ON CaNVAS 

1. Count six holes down and four from right hand end. Put 
needle in from under side: pull through. 

2. Count one hole to the left. Find the hole above it. Point 
needle downward through the upper hole — bring it up to right 
side through the under hole. 

3. Finish row and fasten thread on wrong side, by running 
thread through the last few stitches. 



10. — Overcasting on Canvas 

1. Count one hole from top of canvas and two in from 
end. 

2. Commence as for Overhanding. 

3. Bring needle out two holes to the left of first stitch. 

4. Fasten as in Overhanding. 

Overcasting stitch is used to finish raw edges of material to 
keep from fraying. 

*^The next stitch is the first stitch your grand- 
mother learned to make," said Sewing Bird. ''Her 
little fingers got so tired and sore trying to make tiny 
little bits of stitches on muslin, that you may be glad 
you are to learn on canvas." 




Over'cd«)tind 



The Stitch Grandma Learned 



53 



11. — Hemming Stitch on Canvas 

1. Six rows from top — four over to left. Needle up from 
wrong side: pull through. 

2. On row of holes below, one hole to left, point needle down, 
bring it up in first row of holes, two holes to the left of first stitch. 

3. Hood canvas over the first finger. Finish row. 

4. Fasten as in Overcasting. 

"Is that all there is to hemming?" asked Mary 
Frances happily. 

'^No, little Miss, that is just a 'first beginning/ 
as my grandmother used to say. Some day I hope 
you will make hemming stitches so small that they 
will scarcely show — on a dolly's apron." 

''Oh, how perfectly lovely!" cried Mary Frances. 
"I can scarcely wait! Will it be long?" 

"That all depends, my Httle friend — " 

"Upon me," said Mary Frances. "Til work very 
in-dus-tri-ous-ly, dear little teacher." 





e moc^t impoirtant muat be 
^that little biirdo^ do not have hand< 



"Let u^ 
det to 
ocir 
leQcon" 



SmPTER VII 



L/1NKET lOlTITCH dND ITS lOUSTER. 



ii 



N 




OW, Sewing Bird," began Mary Frances the 
next lesson afternoon, "let's not talk any, 
but—" 

''Let us get right to our lesson," said Sewing Bird, 
'Svhich is an edge-finishing stitch, named 

12. — Blanket Stitch 

1. At left hand end of canvas four holes down and four to 
right, from under side bring needle to right side. 

2. Hold thread under thumb. One hole to the right, point 
needle down, bringing it up in hole two threads below: pull 
through. Finish row. 

3. Fasten as in Overcasting. 

4. Repeat this on lower edge of canvas. 

"Good!" she said, as Mary Frances finished follow- 
ing the directions, "Now, for a stitch many grown 
women do not know how to make — a beautiful 

stitch: 

[54] 




Bidnket Stitch 



Blanket Stitch and its Sister 



55 



13. — Buttonhole Stitch on Canvas 

1. Five holes down — four from left hand end, from wrong 
side, bring needle to right side. 

2. Through hole below this, point needle down, and up 
through the one from which the thread hangs. Do not pull 
through. 

3. Take hold of the two threads in the eye of the needle, 
bring them toward you around under the point of the needle. 
Let them rest there. 

4. Pull needle through. 

5. With left thumb on the stitch, pull the thread with the 
right hand tightly down to the edge of the canvas. 

6. Repeat to end of row. 

''Oh, look! dear Sewing Bird," cried Mary Frances, -rvL. i L\ 
holding up her work, ''I really do believe that is the , 

way Mother makes a buttonhole! She said she would 
show me how to do it very soon. How glad I am I 
know that stitch!" 

''Yes," said Sewing Bird. "Won't she be sur- 
prised! You know eleven stitches now." 

"Why, so I do!" exclaimed Mary Frances, counting 
her little samplers of work. 

"Now," said Sewing Bird," will you please cut a 
piece of canvas eight inches long and four and one-half 




Sewing 
Bird" 




Buttonhole StitcK 



56 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




rrance' 



inches wide, and make a sampler of all the stitches 
you know. Will you write down the directions?" 

"Yes," said Mary Frances, getting pencil and paper. 

Then Sewing Bird began : 

14. — Canvas Sampler 

1. Begin six rows down, and five rows from right hand end 
with a row of Uneven Basting. 

2. A row each of even basting; Running Stitch; Stitching; 
Catch Stitching; Buttonhole Stitching; Hemming, — each two 
rows apart. 

3. A row of Overhanding — five rows below that. 

4. Blanket Stitch the upper edge 

5. Overcast the two ends. 

6. Fold canvas back on row of overhanding at bottom of 
samples. 

"Will you bring the pretty sampler, finished, for 
the next lesson?" asked Sewing Bird. 

"I will — so gladly!" said Mary Frances. 

"But there's one stitch more, 
There's one stitch more! 
If it hadn't been so cross, 
I'd have shown it before," 

added Sewing Bird. 




Cro^c^ Stltchind 



Blanket Stitch and its Sister 



57 



15. — Cross Stitching 

1. Cut a canvas piece, five inches long and three inches wide. 

2. At the right hand end from under side, two holes from 
the edge, and eight holes down, point needle upward. Pull 
through, 

3. Point needle downward into hole above the hole to the 
left of where thread hangs out, and bring it up through the hole 
directly beneath. 

4. Continue across the canvas. 

5. Return on same row of stitches in same way, but work 
from left to right, taking stitches in exactly the same holes as at 
first. This will form a cross. The stitches must all be taken 
in the same direction. 





wfc 



hy, ^o 1 do! exclaimed [F llajry 



raace< 




CIhapterVIII 



EWINa B IRD r dlRY LUOY 




MARY FRANCES worked very hard whenever 
she could find a minute; and the next lesson 
day she proudly showed Sewing Bird a sampler 
like this picture: 

"Oh, de-de-dum-dee! de-de-dee! 
That sampler certainly pleases me. 
You did it alone? Well, I declare! 
What perfect stitches you have there!" 



sang the little bird, hopping, fluttering, gurgling, and 

spreading her wings joyously over Mary Frances' 
Oh, de -de -work, very much the way a spring robin careens over 
dum-dee!( an early worm. 
de -de- Mary Frances was very happy. 

^e^P ''Now, Sewing Bird, my dear teacher, please tell 

me what I am to learn next?" asked Mary Frances, 

finishing the row of cross stitching. 

[58] 



_, . . _ . 




























;- _ _ _. 






_ _ _ 












------ 




"■ 












_ _ 


_ 





















"1 







! ._ 






























~ 


■ 






































^ '~ '~ '~ '~ ... __-__-. 









d ^ampler like thi3 picture 



Sewing Bird Fairy Lady 



59 



'' Indeed I will ! Indeed I wiU ! 
Just watch a while my little bill; 
And I to you will quickly tell, 
And you will quickly do, and well, 
This lesson coming; next." 



With these words, the little bird leaned over the 
edge of the table and stuck her bill into the drawer 
beneath. Then she pulled out a long sheet of paper. 

'Oh," gasped Mary Frances, ''what is that, dear 
teacher?" 

'That," said Sewing Bird, shaking her wings, "is 
a model for you to follow in making, 

15. — Grand Sampler on Canvas 

Cut a piece of canvas twelve inches by nine inches, and 
follow as exactly as you can the picture on the next page. 




' Won t 
it be 
beauti^i! 



"Won't it be beautiful!" exclaimed Mary Frances, 
"I'll do it in all the pretty colors — I have almost every 
shade of mercerized working-cotton here." 

"Yes," said Sewing Bird, 




She puUed out o lon^ ^heet o/'papei* 



Sewing Bird Fairy Lady 



61 



"Your Grandma took a prize 

At Persimmon County Fair, 
With a pretty sampler 

Like the picture lying there; 
If you work yours aright, 

'Twill be a prettier thing, 
That well may win a prize, 

From our merry Thimble King. 



''I'U work 
But, Sew- 



"All right!" laughed Mary Frances, 
from time to time on the Grand Sampler, 
ing Bird, will you tell me, please — are you — aren't 
you, a real fairy? You seem so Hke a fairy 'come 
true!' " 

''Dear httle Miss, I'll give you 
A secret to keep. 
Put your hand over your eyes, 

And don't dare to peep! 
Now, you may take away your hand — 
Behold, a Lady from Thimble Land!" 

When Mary Frances opened her eyes, there sat 
the loveliest, sweetest Httle fairy lady on the edge 




V/hen 

Mary 

FVoAcec 

^ opened 

hef eye< 



The 



love lie 




[»> lady 



62 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




ready -for 
the leccon 



of the table in place of Sewing Bird; — only Mary 
Frances noticed her lips looked very much like the 
bill of a bird. 

^'Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!" gasped Mary Frances in 
surprise. ''Oh, really, truly, oh, me! Oh, dear! 
How perfectly lovely! You lovely — " 

''Now, Mary Frances, dear, ready for the lesson," 
smiled the little lady, in the same flute-like voice as 
Sewing Bird's. 

"Miss Fairy," said Mary Frances, trembling with 
joy, "I will do my very best, — but, please, what may 
I call you?" 

"Just shut your eyes. 

And not a word; 
My name you have 

So often heard; 
It's known to 

But a very few, 
But I will show 

My name to you — " 

When Mary Frances opened her eyes, there sat her 
grandmother's sewing bird. 




There c^at her Gra ncimotheir]^ c^ew m<6^ h\f<i 



Sewing Bird Fairy Lady 



63 



''You dear little bird/' she exclaimed. ''I know 
now! You are the Fairy! — and I know! — the Fairy's 
name is Sewing Bird!" , 

'Just so! Just so! Just so! Just so!" sang Sewing 
Bird,— 



"Now quickly shut your eyes — and then 
The Fairy Lady will come again!" 

And again came Fairy Lady. 

"Oh," laughed Mary Frances, "dear Sewing Bird 
Fairy Lady, please wait a minute," and running out 
of the room, she brought back her doll's rocking chair 
and put it on the table. 

"Please be more comfortable!" she said. 

"Thank you very much, dear child!" said Fairy 
Lady. 

" Now, for work ! Cut a piece of unbleached muslin, 
nine inches long and five and one-half inches wide. 

"Good!" she exclaimed, as Mary Frances held up the 
muslin properly cut. 

"Pen Cil," the fairy called. 

With a bound, a yellow lead pencil which lay on 





*ThanU^ou ve^ / AmucK , dear child 



64 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Marked 

ofTih© 

muclin 



uci 
like 



the machine, sprang over to the table and made a 
funny little stiff bow to Sewing Bird Fairy Lady, who 
picked up a big bodkin and, using it as a sceptre, 
touched him, saying — 

''Mark off the muslin as I told you." 

To Mary Frances' amazement, Pen Cil marked off 
the muslin like this: 

''You may retire," said Fairy Lady, "Thank you, 
— and Mary Frances, child, you may sew the muslin 
very much as you did the Canvas Sampler, with that 
finer red D. M. C. cotton, No. 12." 

"Am I to be forgotten?" came a tinkling sound 
from Mary Frances' basket, as she started to sew. 

"Who is that?" asked Mary Frances peeping over 
the edge. 

"I'm Thimble!" exclaimed a wee little voice, "and 
the reason I always wear my helmet, is that I want 
to wield my sword," as Mary Frances lifted him out. 

"I beg your Majesty's pardon," said the little 
fellow turning to Sewing Bird Fairy Lady — "but per- 
haps Miss Mary Frances doesn't understand that all 
needles are my swords!" 

"He thinks himself so brave a soldier," laughed 




dm I to be -fofgotten?' 



Sewing Bird Fairy Lady 



65 



Sewing Bird Fairy Lady — "when all the time he is 
perfectly useless by himself." 

^'But he is a great help," said Mary Frances. 
*'I don't see how I could sew without him." 

''Good!" said Fairy Lady. ''Hut he'll be prouder 
than ever! That's all for to-day — next lesson we will 
make something for your dolly to use." 

"Oh, how lovely!" exclaimed Mary Frances, fin- 
ishing her last stitches. "What is it?" 

"Oh, weU!oh, well, 0! 
Ibest not teU, O! 

But something she can use real well, 0! 
Now for to-day, farewell. 
Farewell, 0!" 

And as Mary Frances looked up from her work, there 
was the empty rocking chair and her grandmothers ^ 
sewing bird was sitting on its perch on the table. 





/I 



c^ [Mjary jFlr-ances looked up i^om her 
^ work,tWere wa^Mhe empty clr^aif -^' 





ulU?" 



Shapter IX 



rtaic dNo (mIystery 

'M Cross Patch, Cross Patch! 
Nobody dares to Hft the latch! 
I'm Cross Patch, Cross Patch! 
Click-ety — clatch ! 
Cross Patch!" 



"I 



Mary Frances heard this outside the sewing room 
door. 

''My," she thought, 'Hhat sounds Hke the scissors — 
I really beUeve it is!" She peeped in, and this is what 
she saw: 

Scissors Shears was strutting on tip-toe up and down 
the sewing table, closing up each time to take a step. 

''Why," said Mary Frances, sHpping in, ''can you 
talk, too?" 

"Can I talk?" exclaimed Scissors Shears in a growl- 
ing voice. "Can I talk? Yes, and walk, too! As 
if I weren't years older than that Sewing Bird — 

[66] 




C^n^Qd t^lU?" 



Magic and Mystery 



67 



Rip 'er up the back! Rip 'er up the back! That con- 
ceited thing thinks she Imows everything, — why I 
could tell you all about how to cut out anything. 
Why, I know all about cutting things out! I can even 
cut myself!" 

Click — click, came his legs together. 

'^WeU, well," laughed Mary Frances. ''If that is 
so, perhaps Sewing Bird will let you explain some things 
to me." 

"It cuts me to the quick to be cut like this," he 
started again, — then Sewing Bird began to sing, 

"If anything you'd like to do, 
To prove yourself so very true — 
Immediately to work — don't brag! 
Cut out 

Pattern 1. — Doll's Laundry Bag 
Cut bag twelve inches long, and five inches wide. 

"What goods, what goods?" asked Scissors 
Shears, excitedly. 

"Cut it out of that pretty calico on the table," 
said Sewing Bird. 




TKdt 



t^bli 



68 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




sen 
you wSint 

oifhefwise- 



"Hurrah!" shouted Scissors Shears, and dived into 
the calico. 

''There!" he exclaimed proudly. ''Isn't that per- 
fect?" 

"That's very even," said Mary Frances gravely, 
trying to act as though she were an excellent judge. 

"What next?" she asked Sewing Bird. 

"When you want me otherwise 
Than as a little bird, 
Put your hand over your eyes, 
And say this secret word: 



^^i 



Magic and Mystery, 
Give my wish to me." 

Mary Frances did so; and there was Fairy Lady 
once again in the doll's rocking chair, who smiled and 
said, 

"Whenever you particularly want 'this me' to come, 
all you have to do is to put your hands over your 
eyes, and say to yourself quickly, 




Dived into the calico 




and 




Hy3 tery! exclaimed 
ary ^^^|rance 



e3 



Magic and Mystery 



69 



Magic and Mystery, 
Give my wish to me, 

and I'll come at once." 

''Oh, how lovely!" said Mary Frances. 

''And if you want me to turn into anything, you say 
as fast as you can, 

Nimble, nimble, 
Turn my thimble," 

said Thimble, looking up at Mary Frances with a 
comical smile. 

"And if you want me to turn into some one else, 
snap your fingers three times and say, faster yet, 

Scissors-and-Shears, 
Scissors-and-Shears, 
Now change your ears. 
Now change your ears." 




"I'll do it now," laughed Mary Frances, and when 
she said, 




'Hinnble , nimble. 
Turn rny tViinnble 



70 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




"Nimble, nimble, 
Turn my thimble," 

there sprang up the cutest little soldier, with needles 
in his hands for swords. 

''Salute!" he shouted in a very thin silvery voice, 
making a military bow to Fairy Lady. 

''At your service!" he said, turning to Mary Frances, 
who was looking on with amazement. 

"Are you really my own thimble?" she asked, 
looking at the second finger of her right hand. 

"It's me — I, I mean — I'm he — it, I mean — well, 
anyhow, I'm Thimble, your Seamstress-ship," he an- 
swered, making another bow. 

"Well, well," said Mary Frances delightedly, "if 
you are, you can obey my orders. 

"Stand there!" pointing to the left side of Fairj^ 
Lady. Then, 

" Scissors-and-Shears, 
Now change your ears," 

she repeated. 




Now cW&ri^e^our" eaj^' 



Magic and Mystery 



71 



Click! came the feet of the shears, and before Mary 
Frances saw how it happened, there were two long ears 
on the handles, looking comically like a rabbit's. 

''What long ears you have!" laughed the little 
girl. 

''The better to hear your directions, your Seam- 
stress-ship," replied Scissors in a rather sharp voice, 
cHcking his way to the other side of the rocking 
chair. 

Then Fairy Lady said: 

"Dear httle Lady Seamstress, we are all from 
Thimble Land — we are the Thimble People; there are 
many more of us, oh, many more. It is our joy to be 
able to help you learn to sew. Thimble and Scissors 
Shears and the other Thimble People will come help us 
when anything becomes very puzzling or difficult; but 
all through these lessons you may call upon me at any 
time; and I shall do my best to give you happy sewing 
lessons." 

"Oh, thank you, dear Fairy Lady," exclaimed Mary 
Frances. "I am living in Fairyland, and it is real!" 

"The way to find Fairyland real," smiled Fairy 
Lady, "is to do your very best from day to day, and 



TK( 




There 
were Iwo 



f7nd Fairyland real.' 



72 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




What 
twoddle- 
doddle!" 



to do it happily. The fairies always help the people who 
try to do this." 

*'0h, pshaw!" exclaimed Scissors Shears in a cutting 
tone, "what twoddle-doddle ! Even if I don't make 
fine speeches, I know all about cutting." 

"Cut it out!" exclaimed Thimble, raising his sword- 
needle. 

"Slang," began Scissors Shears, crossly flapping his 
ears back; but Fairy Lady leaned forward in her chair, 
and, reaching out with her bodkin wand, touched him 
on the ear, and down he fell flat at her feet. 

Pushing him aside, she said, "I can control him 
when I have my wand. If he's ever rude, and you 
want me, say the magic verse I taught you." 

"Oh, thank you," said Mary Frances, smiling 
to herself. 

"I guess if I pulled his ears real hard, he'd be good 
anyhow," she thought, "but I'll not let Sewing Bird 
know. All rabbits are controlled by their ears, and 
I'm sure he looks more like a rabbit than any other 
animal I can think of." 

"Well," smiled Fairy Lady, "we have the dolly's 
laundry bag all cut out : now, to learn, 




Cut It out i* 



Magic and Mystery 



73 



17. — Hemming on Muslin 

1. First learn to turn a hem on paper. 

2. Cut the paper seven inches long and three and one-half 
inches wide. 

3. Draw a line one-quarter of an inch from lower edge of paper 
and turn up and crease along this line. 

4. One inch above that, draw a line. Turn up and crease 
along that line. 

5. Follow same directions on muslin. Baste and hem. 

''Good!" she nodded, as Mary Frances held up the 
folded paper. ''You remember the hemming stitch 
on canvas. This is the same kind of stitch; only, as 
you have already observed, no doubt, it is a very zig- 
zag stitch, and is taken from the single through the 
folded part of the goods. 

"Wait a minute, I'll mark it to show you," and 
taking the pencil, she marked the paper as showTi on 
this page. 

"Now try it on muslin." 

"Oh," exclaimed Mary Frances. "I understand 
now!" 

"Only one thing more," said Fairy Lady, "the 
way to hide the starting of the thread. You put the 




undei^tancl 
now 




fire^t lea 



rn to turn a hem on paper 




74 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



needle in between the fold and the cloth, and tuck it 
down. Then put it in, or 'insert' it, at 1, and push 
it out at 2, and pull it through. Can you do it on the 
ends of the laundry bag?" 

"Yes, I think I can," said Mary Frances. 

"One minute," said Fairy Lady, as Mary Frances 
started. 

"First, you must turn in the edges. Here is a 
piece of paper the size of the laundry bag. 

''On the longer edge, turn up and crease a quarter 
of an inch fold as you did in preparing the paper hem. 
Now, turn the hem on each end as I have already shown 
you. 

"That's it! — and that's all for to-day's lesson. 
It was a tech-ni-cal lesson," she said. 





ovr, turn the hem on each end a^ 
i JTI huve direddy ^hown^ou. 



i 



(( 



ElHdPTER X 

(31 (DJOLL'S (L)rtUNORY[HrtG 

N' 



OW, try it on the laundry bag itself," smiled 
Fairy Lady, who was waiting for Mary 
Frances next Wednesday. 

"That's hard to crease!" exclaimed the Uttle girl, 
laying the calico down on the table and pressing the 
fold with her thumb nail. 

"Yes," said Fairy Lady. "It is a good idea to 
pinch it together between the thumb and forefinger, 
to make the crease." 

"Oh, that is much better," said Mary Frances, 
and she soon had the little bag folded ready for sewing. 

"What now?" smiled Fairy Lady. 

'1 begin to hem," said Mar}^ Frances, flourishing 
her threaded needle. 

"What number cotton are you using?" asked Fairy Now, try 
Lady. it on the 

"Number twenty-four," said Mary Frances. laundry 

"Ahem," Thimble cleared his throat. bb^* 

[75] O 





Pinch It toc^ethor between tliumb and ionefTndef 



76 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Needle^ 



''A little too coarse," said Fairy Lady. ''I must 
tell you something about needles and threads: 
''There are several different kinds of 

18. — Needles and Threads 

Sharps — long needles. 

Betweens — short needles for heavy work. 

Ground-downs — medium long. These do not break or bend 
easily. 

There are the long-eyed needles — worsted and darning needles. 

Milliner's very long needles. 

Bodkins — long thick needles, for carrying tapes and cords. 

Open a package of needles No. 5's to lO's. In the middle, 
you will find needles 

No. 5 — for coarse work or sewing on buttons. 

No. 6 — for coarse work. 

No. 7 — for hemming towels. 

No. 8 — for stitching. 

No. 9 — for hemming muslin. 

No. 10 — for fine work. 

Use Needle Cotton 
For Tucking, Hemming, Running. No. 9 No. 60, 70 or 80 
For Stitching, Overhanding, Over- 
casting No. 8 No. 50 or 60 

Buttonholes No. 7 or 8 No. 36, 40 or 50 

Gathering and Basting. No. 7 or 8 No. 36 or 40 




Threap 



A Doll's Laundry Bag 



77 



"Oh," murmured Mary Frances, ''I didn't know.'' 

"Of course you didn't, dear little Seamstress," 
smiled Fairy Lady. "That's why I'm here!" 

"Thank you, Fairy Lady," said Mary Frances. 

"Now, you may begin work on the laundry bag." 

Mary Frances smilingly basted the hems near the 
edges with even basting stitches, and then began to 
do the hemming. 

Fairy Lady watched her intently all the while. 

"There !" Mary Frances suddenly exclaimed. "I've 
broken my thread. How do I join it?" 

"I will show you this once," said Fairy Lady. 
"You do it in very much the same way as in starting 
the work," and she taught Mary Frances how to tuck 
both ends of thread under the hem. 

"When you finish, just fasten the thread by taking 
two or three stitches in the fold. That's a pretty good 
looking hem for the first real hem on muslin," said 
Fairy Lady. 

"Now, one-quarter of an inch above the hems, put 
in a row of running stitches, — with once in a while 
a back-stitch to strengthen it. This is called com- 
bination stitch." 




Thank 
you. 

Lady 




TVii«)^ calied combmiition^titcK 



78 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



When Mary Frances had done this, she held up the 
bag, and asked, "What shall I do next?" 

" I'll tell you more, 
I'll tell you more, 
If you can tell 
What that is for!" 




^«i»d Silver 



"I know," guessed Mary Frances. "It's for a 
casing to hold the drawing strings." 

"Oh, to my heart 
That music rings. 
For you to guess 

It's 'drawing strings,' " 

sang Fairy Lady. 

"How could her heart draw strings," asked Scissors 
Shears of Thimble, in a whisper. 

"Hush!" said Silver Thimble, raising his sword- 
needle. 

"Snip!" snapped Scissors Shears. But Fairy Lady, 
not noticing, continued the lesson. 




Vhat thrc^r^Viif ?* 



A Doll's Laundry Bag 



79 



''Do you remember the overhanding stitch on can- 
vas? Yes? Now, those little ends of the bag above 
the running stitches, are to be overhanded together. 
You put the needle in straighter, and more toward 
you — Uke this." as she placed the needle in posi- 
tion. 

"Now fold the two hemmed ends together, the right 
sides facing each other. 

"Baste along the longer edges with even basting. 
Overhand these edges together. 

"You would not always overhand the sides of a bag 
together, — you could run it, or back-stitch, or combina- 
tion stitch it; but we want this unusually strong because 
your dolly will have so many clothes to be stuffed 
into it. I should say handkerchiefs, because this 
bag is really a handkerchief bag, or a little laundry 
bag." 

"My, how well you have done this side. Let me 
touch the other side with my bodkin wand — there!" 
And behold, the other side was overhanded. 

"That's lovely, thank you, dear Fairy Lady!" 
exclaimed Mary Frances, examining the perfectly 
beautiful stitches. "How did — ?" 




Let me 
toucK the 
other <^«de 







rtnd behold, the other ^ide v^ overhanded 



80 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




tVii^ tape 
into fii 
bodhin" 



*'0h, that was done 
In Thimble Land — 
Done by the Fairy 
Needle Band." 

laughed the little lady, well pleased at Mary Frances^ 
delight. 

"Now, thread this narrow tape into a bodkin, and 
run it into the casing, all the way round; then tie the 
ends together. Now, another piece (they are twelve 
inches long) in the other end, and tie." 

"Oh, if it isn't the dearest little bag I ever saw!" 
exclaimed Mary Frances, drawing the top together. 
"Isn't it lovely! Look, Fairy Lady!" 

But Fairy Lady had gone, and Sewing Bird sat 
in her usual place on the table, singing: 

"Oh, httle Miss, dear little Miss, 
There never was a joy like this: 
To keep some one from being sad, 
To make some dear one very glad. 
Oh, little lady— " 

Crash! 




'Hie Laundjry BS^ 



A Doll's Laundry Bag 



81 



Sewing Bird sat up stiff and hard and metallic. 

''Good joke!" giggled Scissors Shears, who had 
jumped on the floor to scare her. 

Mary Frances glanced at Sewing Bird, but the door 
knob was turning, and she hastily threw her sewing 
into her basket. 

''Bring a piece of white lawn for the next lesson," 
whispered Sewing Bird, throwing Mary Frances a kiss 
with the tip of her wing. 






Ke door knob 
tKr*evy Ker 






turnind —, she 



'^ewino mto her* ba^et. 




CJraPTER XI 

(MIr (S]lLVER(TlttlMBl.E AND [M)r [E]MERY(B]a(i 



G 



*' >^^ RANDMA," asked Mary Frances, the next 

afternoon, ''may I have this little piece of 

white lawn?" 

"Why, certainly, dear," said Grandma. ''You are 

such a good child. I am sure I never saw a little 

girl who was so able to amuse herself." 

"My, I wish I could explain about my little friends," 
thought Mary Frances, but she answered, "I don't get 
very lonely when you are away, Nanny dear, because I 
keep busy; and when you are here, we have such fun 
"M I together!" 

* fSy * "Heigho!" exclaimed Grandma, "I feel really 

have th^ young again!" 

little piece . . . 

©r lawn?* 

"Go to sleep! go to sleep! 

Baby dear, baby dear, mine. 
To and fro, I rock thee deep, 

[82] 





*V/hy, certainly, dear* 



Mr. Silver Thimble and Mr. Emery Bag 83 



My arms a cradle for thy sleep; 
Close your eyes, and don't you peep, 
Baby dear, baby dear, mine. 

"I rock thee deep, but hold thee near, 

Baby dear, Baby dear, mine. 
Nothing can harm thee, never fear! 
Mother-love is so very queer, 
Nothing can make thee but my dear 

Baby — baby mine," 

sang Mary Frances, rocking Angie in her arms. 

''My, I'm glad I got that child to sleep before my 
sewing lesson," she said. 

''I hope she'll be quiet all through the afternoon. 
Every once in a while I've had to take her over to 
Lottie's to stay. I've put myself under ob-U-ga-tion 
to Lottie, and I'll have to make something for one 
of her children — oh, I wonder if I could give her some 
sewing lessons, the way I did Eleanor cooking lessons. 

'^How I wish Eleanor were here! I do miss her so! 

"I'll tip-toe in to my lesson with this child in my 
arms, and put her carefully in the big rocking chair, 




i wonder 

if 1 could 

dive Vier 
I 




B^by — b&by . mine 



84 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




The b^ 

rolled 
dovin 



so as to have her near if she cries. Of course, I'm only 
pretending she's a tiny young thing — because I didn't 
bring my baby infant doll with me, and this is only 
Angle. She's really almost three years old; but my, 
she certainly does love to be 'babied' — and I'd certainly 
get very lonesome if I didn't do it — with Mother and 
Father so far away — and Billy in camp!" 

The big tears roUed down her cheeks. 

"Come, Mary Frances," she said. ''I feel like 
shaking you. When you promised Father so faithfully 
to be a woman, and your Grandma is such a darling! — 
Suppose you read Mother's last letter over: 

Dear Little Big Mary Frances: 

Only twenty times has Mother read over your sweet 
letter. It was so dear, and brave. I am much better 
than I was — thanks to such a loving family — and the 
lovely '^aps-mos-spere^' here, as you used to say when 
you were little. 

What a beautiful country this is — your "Fatherland^' 
and mine. I want you to see some day the lovely 
view I am now looking upon: mountains rising high 
and peeping over this lovely stretch of country to look 




Read Mother^ |a3t letter 



Mr. Silver Thimble and Mr. Emery Bag 85 



into the Pacific Ocean, which sparkles like that ir-i-des- 
cent feather in your dear Grandma's bonnet. 

Father is calling me to come for a ride, and I must 
drop a line to my Billy Boy — who is a good Scout, too. 

Can you feel this kiss and this hug? I know you 
can — for ivhat are miles to us whose love for each other 
flies through space? 

Your loving Mother. 
P. S. — Thank you so much for the picture of Jubey. 

"My, I feel better," said Mary Frances, drying 
her tears. ''But if it weren't for my sewing lessons, 
even with Grandma's help, I'd not be a Scout. Billy 
is a good Scout: — but now, — for the lesson," and she 
went to the sewing-room very softly, with Angie asleep 
in her arms. 

''Hee-ha!" she heard through the door, which was 
a very tiny way open, "that's the time!" 

She thought it was the voice of Silver Thimble. 

"I don't care," answered a new voice. "It's too 
much, to have to clean them all at once." 

"Oh, there are only two more. Come, I'm ready — 
it is really excellent practice for a soldier!" 




With 

iln^ie acleep 
in Vier 



o 




It i^ reiilj^ excellent pr'actice 



86 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




No 

or-din- 
a-tion! 



"Take 'em out, take 'em out, I say!" 

Mary Frances feared to make a noise — but she 
quietly pushed the door open a little wider and 
saw Silver Thimble on one side of the table, and over 
on the opposite side, the queerest little fellow. 

''Looks like the picture of a porcupine," thought 
Mary Frances. 

''It may be good practice for a soldier," groaned 
the queer little figure, "but pity the target! Besides, 
— one at a time, please!" 

"Emery Bag, what do you think you were made 
for? I hope you realize it's your duty to clean all the 
rust and roughness off these needles as I run them 
through you, so that the little Miss may sew more 
easily," lectured Thimble. "No in-sub-or-din-a-tion ! 
Stop and think! You know my family's power,— you 
know my family's wealth. You realize, I hope, you 
live in a land named for my aris-to-crat-ic ancestors — 
Thimble Land!" 

"Oh, ancestors go-to-China!" exclaimed Emery 
Bag. "We live in the present, and I demand — I de- 
mand justice. I leave it to anybody if it's fair to have 
twenty needles stuck into your heart at once!" 




Take em out, I sayT 



Mr. Silver Thimble and Mr. Emery Bag 87 



"The idea of being such a coward!" retorted 
Thimble. "Where's your heart of steel you brag of 
so often?" 

"It's scarcely fair, you know," came a new voice. 
"You see, twenty needles at once are really more than 
are needed." 

"Humph, Tommy Pin Cushion," answered Silver 
Thimble. "What you sticking your 'pinion in for? 
It's a wonder Sewing Bird hasn't stuck her biU in! 
Tommy Pin Cushion, you might just as well keep out 
of this — everybody knows you're stuck on yourself — 
Fatty!" 

"You conceited old Silver Thimble," came the 
voice of Pin Cushion. "You will please address me 
by my full name — 'Tomato-Pin-Cushion, Custodian- 
of-the-Sword-Needles';— and what's more, if you 
don't quickly remove all those needles from poor 
Emery, you won't get any more sword-needles to wield. 
So there! You know Sewing Bird's taking forty 
winks; that's why you don't act in your best miHtary 
manner." 

Silver Thimble looked toward Sewing Bird, whose 
eyes began to open, and quickly went toward Emery 




Rjtw! 




Vou eonceited old SilvefTlitfnble. 




88 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

Bag. Taking out the needles, one at a time, he ran 
to Pin Cushion and quilted each into its place. 

"There!" he exclaimed at length, ''I'm certainly- 
glad I've 'stacked all my arms' — my, I'm tired!" 
As he leaned back to yawn, off fell his helmet and he 
melted away. 

"Serves him right," murmured Emery Bag; "I 
hope Fairy Lady won't ask him to the sewing 
party to-day, — she really arranges all these lessons." 

"Don't fear! Don't fear! 
Mr. Emery Bag; 
You've got Silv Thimble's 
Very last tag," 

sang Sewing Bird. 

"Good!" thought Mary Frances. "Now, I'll go 
in." 





y. [Tt m olad [T) dot that cKiW 
^ to^^leep 



i 



Shifter XII 

ARY (ElRrtNCES [rlRErtSURE (B]oX 



G 



<4 >^->i OOD-AFTERNOON, dear Thimble People," 
said the little girl, putting Angle on a 
rocking chair. 
"Good-afternoon," came many little voices, and 

Sewing Bird began to sing: — 

''Oh, do you know, 
Oh, do you know 
What we have planned 
For us to sew?" 

"I don't," laughed Mary Frances. 'Tlease tell 
me?" 

*'For your dear dolly we will make, 
And every pains will try to take, 
An apron, and a pinafore; 
And later, other things galore; 

[89] 





and a 



What we have planned 
fir u^to^ev/?" 



90 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Her wardrobe we so full will fill, 
No one would care to pay her bill." 




"Thanlvyou 
dear 
Fairy 
Lady 



"Magic and Mystery!" exclaimed Mary Frances, 
putting her hands over her eyes; and Fairy Lady sat 
in the doll's rocking chair. 

"Oh," said Mary Frances somewhat breathlessly, 
"excuse me for calling you so suddenly, but I so 
wanted to talk with another woman — " and then she 
blushed, fearing she had offended the little bird. 

"And not a bird," smiled Fairy Lady. "I under- 
stand," she nodded, "a bird, be she ever so wise, 
doesn't understand the needs of a doll-child or the 
heart of her mother." 

"Thank you, dear Fairy Lady," replied Mary 
Frances. 

"And I know how brave you are while your 
mother is away, Mary Frances, child," continued Fairy 
Lady, "but I've had orders from our King not to speak 
of that — so we'll get the material ready for dolly's 
apron." 

"Here is the lawn," said Mary Frances. " Grandma 
gave it to me." 




H 



ere 



i5 



ihel 



av/n 



Mary Frances' Treasure Box 



91 



"By the way," said Fairy Lady. "Where will 
you put these things as you make them? You must 
keep them a secret, you know, until we finish the 
lessons, or we'll become Never-Nevers." 

"I shall keep them in my treasure box. Mother 
gave it to me a year ago. It has a little key and it 
locks. Mother said all girls love to have a kind of a 
secret place to keep treasures in." 

"Have you the box here?" asked Fairy Lady. 

"Oh, yes," smiled Mary Frances. "I keep it in my 
trunk. It is made of tin, and very light." 

"Go and get it, please." 

"Good," laughed the sweet voice of Fairy Lady, 
as Mary Frances brought in the treasure box. "Now, 
everything is prepared." 

"May I tell about the lovely lessons, sometime?" 
asked Mary Frances. 

"Yes," smiled Fairy Lady. "You may, — some 
day. We do not want our help to be given to one 
little girl only — so when we are all through, you can 
form a Sewing Circle to which your girl friends may 
belong, and you can teach them all j^ou have learned." 

"Oh, how perfectly lovely!" exclaimed Mary 





In my tre^ur^e box** 



92 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Frances. "But won't you help me any more then,^ — 
you, and the dear, dear Thimble People?" 

"You'll have your mother then, you know," ex- 
plained Fairy Lady. 

"Oh, yes," said Mary Frances happily. "She had 
planned to teach me to sew this very summer — it 
will be another grand surprise for her if I know how — 
when she comes." 

"I wish afternoons were much longer," smiled 
Fairy Lady; "but we must do our lesson. Now, just 
a word 

19. — About Cloth, Weaving, and Spinning 

Cotton cloth is made from the cotton plant; wool cloth from 
sheep's fleece; silk cloth from silk worm's cocoon; linen cloth 
from the flax plant. 

The soft cotton is the warm coat for the cotton plant seed- 
baby. The fleecy wool is the warm coat of the sheep, or the little 
lambs. The web from the silk worm's cocoon is the cradle in 
which it sleeps. Linen is made from the stalks of the flax plant. 

When these materials are spun, or twisted, into long threads, 
we have spool cotton and silk, wool yarns, and linen thread, for 
sewing. When the threads are woven or laced together into 
cloth, the stronger threads run the length of the goods — they are 
the warp threads. The weaker, or woof threads, run crosswise of 
the goods. 





ood, nov/ eveirytl-iinO i^ prepare 



HdPTER XI II 



|M)dKINQ (\ (DJOLLS [rtjPRON 




a 



I 



N cutting any garment, wherever there will be 
a pull upon the goods, what threads should bear 
the strain?" 

"The warp threads," answered Mary Frances, 
deeply interested. 

''Good," said Sewing Bird Fairy Lady, ''the warp 
threads, or lengthwise of the goods. Now, we are 
ready for 

Pattern 2. — Doll's Apron 

1. Cut a piece of lawn five inches, lengthwise of the goods; 
and seven inches wide. You can pull out a thread and cut along 
the line it makes, to get a perfectly straight edge. 

2. Cut two strings each six inches long, lengthwise of the 
goods, and one and one-half inches wide. 

3. Cut a band four inches long, and two inches wide. 

"How tall is your dolly?" she asked. 

"I'll have to measure," said Mary Frances. 

[93] 





How laii ^^our dolly 



?" 



94 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



''Come," she said, ''Angle, dear, wake up! Mother 
wants to see how big her dolly has grown." 

Angie was very good and stood quite still while 
Mary Frances held her against the yardstick. 

"Sixteen inches tall," she said; "nearly half a 
yard.' 

"Then the apron will be just right," smiled Fairy 
Lady. "Now, I'll give you directions. 

Making a Doll's Apron (Pattern 2) 

1. Fold the two five-inch sides together, to find center. 
Clip a notch at the top. 

2. Open. Turn an inch hem at the bottom, and baste it in 
place. Hem with No. 9 needle, and No. 60 or 70 white cotton. 

3. Turn a quarter inch hem on the sides. Baste and hem. 



'Sixteen "Next you gather the top, and set the gathers 
inche«\iiito the band; but first you must learn about 

tair 

20. — Gathering 

Gathering is done by the use of the running stitch. 

1. Turn the goods over one-quarter of an inch from edge and 
pinch a crease to mark a line to follow with the gathering stitches. 
Open it up. 





"Le^rn about ^Jatherin^' 



Making a Doll's Apron 95 

2. Use a thread a little longer than the space to be gathered, 
which is from the center notch to the side of the apron, 

(Use No. 40 cotton for gathering the apron.) 

3. Make a good-sized knot, put needle in doAvnward on right 
side of goods. 

4. Sew on crease, taking several stitches before pulling needle 
through. Aim to take up on the needle about half as many threads 
of the goods as you skip, but do not trouble to count them. 

5. ^Vhen finished, make a knot in the end of the thread and 
let it hang. 

6. Put a pin in at the last stitch you took, and draw up the 
work a little, fastening the thread over and under the pin. 

Stroke the gathers. 

''Stroking is done to make the gathers set more 

evenly." ,-, 

rd«|tenin0 

21. — Stroking of Gathers *-^ . QS 

thiTedd 

1. With right side toward you, begin at left hand edge. . 

2. Hold work between the thumb and first finger of left hand. er ana 
Keep thumb below gathering thread. UUaer* 

3. Put point of a blunt needle or eye of an ordinary needle .tlio pin 
under a little plait of the goods and bring it up under the thumb, 

draw needle down and pinch plait with thumb. 

Note. — Stroking is not often done to very thin goods, lest 
it be torn, but many small stitches are placed on the needle at 
once and pinched together before pulling the thread through. 





Vhye No. 40 cotton 



96 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



'Now the apron is ready for 




Pinch 
tooetlieir 



22. — Setting Gathers in a Band 

1. Find the middle of the band and clip a tiny notch in edge 
of each side. 

2. Clip off each corner of band, to avoid thickness of 
goods. 

3. Pin the right hand end of the gathered piece one-quarter 
of an inch from the right hand end of band, 

4. Pin the center of the gathered piece to the center of the 
band. 

5. Pin the left hand end of the gathered piece one-quarter of 
an inch from the left hand end of the band. 

6. Tighten or loosen the gathering thread to the exact length 
of the band and fasten under and over the pin. 

7. With needle point, distribute, or spread, the gathers 
evenly. 

8. With gathers toward you, baste v.ith small even basting 
stitch just above the gathering thread. 

9. With stitching stitch, sew the gathering to the band, 
taking up one gather at a time. Fasten thread and cut off. 

10. Turn up the band. Fold the opposite side over toward 
you one-quarter of an inch from the edge. Crease. Do the same to 
the ends of band. 

11. Fold this over the gathers, bringing the folded edge just 
over the stitching. 




Setting ^thei3 ir\ q band 



Making a Doll's Apron 



97 



12. Pin the middle of the band to the middle of the stitching, 
and the ends to the ends, exactly even. 

13. Baste, with even basting. 

14. Hem the gathers against the band, taking up one gather 
at a time. Do not let the stitches show on right side. 





(CjHdPTEI^ XIV 

[g] [LjortM FROM THE (JIhIMBLE E»NQ 



D 




^'^■""^EAR me," sighed Mary Frances. "How 
will I ever get so much done? I didn't 
want to interrupt you, dear Fairy Lady, 
but I've gotten, you see, no further than basting the 
hem of dolly's apron!" 

Big tears trembled in the little girl's eyes. 

''Dear child," smiled Fairy Lady. "We realize 
how rapidly we'll have to work in these lessons in order 
to get through before your mother comes, so we are 
ready to help." 

With this, she rapped three times on the sewing 
table with her bodkin wand, whereat a little fellow of 
queer appearance walked solemnly up to Mary Frances 
and made a pompous bow. 

"There is but one needle in the world, your Seam- 
stress-ship," he said, "which is called the Needle-of- 
Don't-Have-to-Try, and the King of the Thimble 

[98] 




lU 



ere ^ but one needle in th 



e wor 



la 



A Loan from the Thimble King 



99 



People has sent it to you by your humble servant," 
glancing proudly about. 

"Why," said Mary Frances, scarcely daring to 
breathe. "Why, — ^you, you are certainly my own 
needle book!" 

"Needle Book — that's my name, — and here, dear 
Mistress, is the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try." 

Mary Frances saw a bright shiny light come from 
between the opening leaves of Needle Book; then slowly, 
very slowly, with his tiny little hand, he pulled out 
what seemed a needle of fire, and dropping on his 
knees, held it out on both arms toward Mary Frances. 

The little girl hesitated. Would it burn her? 

"Do not fear," smiled Fairy Lady. "It will not 
harm you. The Needle -of- Don't -Have -to -Try is 
loaned to you on only one condition: which is, that 
you will promise to sew some time every day between 
lesson days." 

"Oh, I promise," exclaimed Mary Frances. "I 
do not, dear Sewing Bird Lady, I do not deserve such 
beautiful kindness!" 

She took the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try from 
Needle Book. 








^ \Y/^ 



// ^ 



Held it out towavd^ Maj^ Firance^ 



100 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Poor 
Pinny 



"I do thank you — very — gratefully/' she said, not 
knowing exactly how to behave toward the ambassador 
of the Thimble King. 

''For shame, Tommy Pin Cushion!" exclaimed 
Fairy Lady, who overheard him mimicking Needle 
Book. ''Don't make fun! Never, never will you 
be Bearer of the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try for the 
King of Thimble Land." 

"I beg your pudden!" said Tommy Pin Cushion 
to Needle Book, getting very red in the face. 

"Poor Pinny!" exclaimed Needle Book, looking 
very disdainfully toward Tomato Pin Cushion, "always 
getting 'squelched!' " 

"Come," said Fairy Lady. "No more of that 
needle-and-pin talk!" Then to Mary Frances: 

"Now, little lady, you may begin. The next is 

To Hem Dolly's Apron Strings 

1. Turn a very narrow hem the long way of the strings. 
Hem with fine hemming stitches. 

2. Turn and make a half-inch hem at one end of each string. 



"Shall I finish the apron first?" asked Mary Frances. 
"Shall — shall I use the new needle?" 




I be<^^our pudden' 




4-. Ni^Kt Qown 




^. Bath-robf 




6. K 



imono 




7. Dre53in^-jack 



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A Loan from the Thimble King 



101 



"Yes," smiled the delighted Fairy Lady. 

Mary Frances found her thimble, and threaded the 
glowing needle, although she feared it would scorch 
the thread, — but it seemed Uke any other needle except 
that she didn't have to try twice to put in the thread. 

''I wonder how it is different?" she thought as 
she started to sew. 

Then the most wonderful thing happened. She 
found the needle darting ahead of her hand, making the 
stitches just as fast as she could touch the eye with her 
silver thimble. 

In a minute the apron was hemmed. 

In another minute the apron was gathered. 

In another minute the strings were hemmed. 

Then the Needle -of -Don't -Have -to -Try stopped 
dead stiU and wouldn't move. 

"Oh! ho!" cried Mary Frances. "What have I 
done? What have I done?" 

"Nothing, dear child," said Fairy Lady. "But 
the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try cannot do for you 
anything you have not yet learned; so use your 
own needle and set the gathers of the apron into the 
band." 



W^///^ 




yVf-"'-^ 




In a minute the ^trin^^ ^ere hemmed 




102 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



'^ Thank you very much/' said Mary Frances, 
finishing the apron band. 

^'And now," said Fairy Lady, "as to 

Putting the Strings into the Band 

1, Gather, or lay small plaits at the unhemmed end of strings, 
and insert, or push them into the ends of the band. 

2. Hem down." 

''Well done, dear child," smiled Fairy Lady at 
length. 

Then quicker than Mary Frances could wink, she 
turned into Sewing Bird, and began to sing, 

''Oh, my! Oh, my! Oh, my! Oh, my! 
It brings a twinkle to my eye! 
The Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try! 
Dear little miss, good-bye. 
Good-bye." 




ear little m 
iood 




bye 



Dye. 



sy 



[T|"5^ee [Qittue IKIlTTeNS 



urj-^ 



HREE little kittens sitting in a row, 
All on a dolly's lap, 
Tit, tat, toe !'* 




sang Sewing Bird when Mary Frances came for the 
next lesson. 

"Three in a row on a dolly's lap?" said Mary 
Frances. "Not my dolly's, I guess — she couldn't hold 
three." 

Then sang Sewing Bird: InilBe little 

kitt^enc 



"Come riddle me this. 
Come riddle me that,- 
Your dolly can hold 

A cat, and a cat, and a cat!" 

"Why, how? oh, Magic and Mystery!" cried Mary 
Frances eagerly. 

[103 



^ittind in a 




•VThy h 



rty nowf 



104 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Outline 



Then came Fairy Lady. 

"This way/' she smiled; "come, Pen Cil," and 
with a bound Pen Cil began to draw on the dolly's 
apron the picture of kittens given on this page. 

(Any little girl can transfer this pattern to her own dolly's 
apron by using a carbon sheet.) 

"Oh, how cute!" exclaimed Mary Frances. "Yes, 
I think my dolly could hold three of those cats." 

Fairy Lady smilingly continued, "Now, with the 
red working cotton and a canvas piece you may learn 

23. — Kensington Outline Stitch 
(Canvas 7 in. by If in.) 

1. Begin at the left hand end of a piece of canvas. Put 
needle in from under side. Pull thread through. 

2. Two threads over, put needle in downward and up through 
the hole next to the left, holding work over forefinger of left hand. 
Pull through. 

3. Work from you, and always drop the thread on the same 
side of the needle. 

"Now, try it on muslin. You'll need an embroid- 
ery needle, because the large eye makes way for the 
heavy cotton." 




Three Little Kittens 



105 



*'0h, I have one here in my basket, and some 
quite-a-bit finer working cotton, in pink, — isn't it 
pretty?" 

''I — I — put it there," began Needle Book. 

"Hush!" said Fairy Lady, holding up a finger. 
''Now, little Miss, see if you can make that stitch on 
muslin." 

"Very good, indeed." 

"Mary Frances! Mary Frances! Mary Frances!" 
came Grandma's voice from the hall. 

With one leap. Fairy Lady changed to Sewing 
Bird, and all the other Thimble People, who had been 
standing on the sewing table, tumbled head-over- 
tin-cups into the sewing basket. 

"Yes, Grandma," called Mary Frances, running out. 

"Why, my dear," puffed the old lady, climbing 
the last of the stairs, "I am home very early, you 
see. There was no regular meeting to-day because 
almost all the members of the Ladies' Guild went to 
Daisy's wedding. I'm home for some games with my 
nttle girl." 

"Oh, Nanny-dear, will you play ' Piddy-Pinny- 
Plump?'" asked Mary Frances. 




Tumbled 
into the 
k>a^Uet 




Mar 



vy 



VAnce< 



r 




106 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



'^Yes, indeed, girlie," laughed Grandma. 

" Goody!" exclaimed Mary Frances. " I'll be ready 
soon as ever I tidy up the sewing room." 

"I'm sorry, dear Thimble People," she began. 
Then she heard the sweet bird voice of Sewing Bird, 
singing very softly, 

"With outline stitch. 
So pretty and neat, 
Outline the kitties, 
From head to feet; 

''And have them done 
When next we meet, 
And they will look, 

Sweet, sweet! Sweet, sweet!" 







-fXim 



I 



CjmPTER XVI 



0] [SJURPRISE FROM (MJoTHER 



A SHARP ring at the door bell. 
''A telegram for Miss Mary Frances," 
said Katie coming into the dining-room. 
''A telegram! And for you, Mary Frances. What 
can it be!" exclaimed Grandma. 

^' Shall I sign for it, ma'am?" asked Katie. 
''No," said Grandma. ''Mary Frances better learn 
to sign for herself." 

There was a little look of excitement in Grandma's 
face, and a little pink spot in each cheek. 

TrembHng with wonder, Mary Frances gravely 
wrote her name in the book. She opened the queer vi ^ i ^^^ 
looking envelope, with printing almost all over its /» Ol 
face, and read: '.^v-Sj 




Telegram 
Miss Mary Frances: 
Expect I by \ Express \ Mary \ Marie 
and I trunk. \ Letter \ follows. I 



franc 



S5 



Mother. 



107 




\sffato tieif* name in tKe book 



108 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




i1 letter 
father!" 



'^Oh! Oh! Oh!" she cried. "I know, Nanny dear, 
I know! Mary Marie is my dear new dolly. I do 
wonder what she will be like! Isn't Mother too sweet 
and kind!" 

''There's the postman," said Grandma, all laughter 
and smiles. ''I wonder if he — " but Mary Frances was 
already at the door. 

''Surely enough," she cried. "A letter from 
Father. I'll read it to you. Grandma — " tearing open 
the envelope: 

Dear Mary Frances: — 

Mother bought for you to-day the prettiest doll in San 
Francisco, and she is going to send it by express, as soon 
as she gets some shopping done for the young lady. She 
will send a telegram when she starts Mary Marie on her 
journey, and will write a letter of instruction as to her 
health, wealth, and happiness. 

Give our love to dear Grandma. 

It is a delight to send the prettiest doll in San Fran^ 
cisco, to the darlingest little girl in the whole wide world 
— at least she is to her 

Loving Father. 




Th 



ere3 



the 



P^^ 



tman. 



A Surprise from Mother 



109 



"Your Father meant that to reach here before 
the telegram," said Grandma. 

'^San Francisco is so far off/' said Mary Frances; 
''but, oh. Grandma, isn't it too lovely! Will Mary 
Marie have light hair and blue eyes, or dark hair and 
brown eyes, I wonder?" 

''I wonder, too," smiled Grandma. 

'^I know she'll be pretty, for Mother has such 
superb taste, as Father says." 

"Yes, dear," smiled Grandma. 

"Oh, I can hardly wait," said the little girl, looking 
out of the window. 

"Come, dear, finish your breakfast." 

"May I tell Katie?" 

"Yes," nodded Grandma. 

Katie was as delighted as Mary Frances. 

"Katie is a wonder, Nanny," said Mary Frances. 
"She was telling me yesterday about all she could do 
when she was little. When she was a mere child she 
could cook a pair of pork chops beautifully, she told 
me." 

"But Katie is only eighteen, now," laughed, 
Grandma. 




iranci^co 




Kdtie v/^Cj delj<^Kiecl 



110 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




You Kave 
«» clear, 

Kedr*t" 



"That seems awfully old to me," said Mary Frances. 

"Katie loves animals, too, Grandma," she went on, 
"and so do I! Last summer, Nanny, when Father had 
Josie WorreU and his horse plow our garden, I went 
out and patted the horse's nose. He was so pleased, 
you should have seen him wag his tail." 

Grandma laughed again. "You have a dear, 
sweet heart, little girlie," she said; and taking Mary 
Frances by the hand, went out on the veranda. 

"Oh, Miss Mary Frances, here comes the express- 
man carrying a box!" exclaimed Katie a few mornings 
later. 

"Katie, Katie, FU go to the door," cried Mary 
Frances running down stairs. 

"The dear, blessed dolly!" she exclaimed, taking 
the big package from the expressman. "Nanny, I can 
hear her calling, almost." 

"We'U have you out of the dark box soon, Mary 
Marie, dear," she whispered through an opening in 
the wrapping paper. 

"Come, Katie, you help; we'll carry it where the 
wrapping will make no trouble, out in the kitchen — and 



H 



ere 




comes tK. .^^.^^.^an! 



f 



A Surprise from Mother 



111 



rU bring the dolly for you to see, Nanny, dear, soon as 
she's unpacked." 

''You cut the string, Miss," said Katie, "and I'D. pry 
off the cover." 

''Oh," exclaimed Mary Frances. "I never, never 
saw so much tissue paper — thirty, thirty-one, thirty- 
two, thirty-three, thirty-four sheets — when will I get 
to her! Oh, there she is! Isn't she a darling, Katie! 
And look, here's her trunk!" 

Surely Mary Marie was a lovely doll. She had 
beautiful long curls tied with pink ribbon; and on her 
feet were short stockings and slippers, — but her dress 
was a very plain, simple, "slip" of lawn. 

There was a note pinned on Mary Marie's dress, 
and a little key. The note read: ^ 

Dear Scout: ^^jy l^*»*'»« 

Please read my letter in the tray of Mary Marie's v/d^ a lovely 
trunk before unpacking. Here is the key. dott 

Mother. 




"Oh, bring the trunk, please, Katie," said Mary 
Frances, "and I'll carry Mary Marie." 




'^ 9Cy ^^ ^^^ cover* 



112 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

''Come, dear," she said. "Mother wants to take 
you up to see Grandma and Angie, your sister." 

Mary Marie nestled back in Mary Frances' arms, 
and closed her eyes quite contentedly. 

"What lovely long eye-lashes," whispered Mary 
Frances. 

After showing the doUy to Grandma, she unlocked 
the trunk and took out her mother's letter. 

'Oh, listen! Grandma, listen!" she burst out. 
'I'll read it to you!" 

Dear Mary Frances: 

This is Mary Marie. IsnH she lovely? She is the 
very doll I've been looking for, for my own dear daughter. 
Father has told you something about Mary Marie, but 
^ I want to add some particulars. 

f\ef ®y®S I h^^^ nothing to say about the care of her, — for I 

contenteoly know my little girVs careful, neat ways so well. You 
may be surprised when you unpack her trunk, to find no 
dresses. Mother is sending you, instead, all kinds of 
pretty goods which you may make up into dresses and 
clothes for your new little daughter; and you will find all 
kinds of laces and ribbons, and buttons, and hooks and 




Closed 




tInlocUed ihe trunk 



A Surprise from Mother 



113 



eyes — everything Mother could think Mary Frances or 
Mary Marie could possibly want. 

There is a set of toilet articles, — but I'll not tell you 
about the other things, for I know you are anxious to find 
out for yourself. 

I wish I could be with you, dear, to teach you how 
to make the pretty things; but I will, I hope, be able to 
do that before so very long. Meantime, I want you to 
use everything just as you wish. Fve asked Grandma 
to let you do exactly as you want to with these things, and 
I ask you not to go to her with your sewing problems: 
for the doctor said that Grandma must not strain her 
eyes with any such work. I know you understand. 

I hope, dear, Mary Marie will bring a little bit of 
such pleasure to her Mother as her Mother has brought 
to me. 

With love, and a bear hug, Mother. 

P.S. — Expect to be home before long. 




en toilet 
article^ 



''Oh, isn't it grand! Come on, Nanny, we'll unpack 
the trunk now!" 

Soon the tray was out, and all the deUghtful contents 
were spread in view. 




Soon the ^•^V ^23 Q\xK 




114 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

'Isn't it wonderful!" said Grandma, almost as 
much pleased and excited as the little girl herself. 

These are some of the things they found in Mary 
Marie's trunk: 





e II unpack tUe trunk now . 



IClHrtPTER XVII 



|M]/^RY JMJrtRiE S [H)dNDKERCHiEr 

MARY FRANCES watched for the first chance 
to show the Thimble People her mother's 
presents. 

When she knew her grandma was napping, she ran 
breathlessly up to the sewing room, leaving Mary 
Marie and her trunk outside the door. 

'^Oh, Thimble People," she said, "listen! I can 
scarcely wait to tell you about the delightful surprise 
Mother has sent me. It is too beautiful — and you 
can all share it with me! Guess what it is! Guess!" 

"That's easy!" said Scissors Shears excitedly, 
"it's a plow!" 

"A plow!" exclaimed Emery Bag. "What a silly 
thing! What put that in your head?" 

"What else has a share, I'd like to know? Little 
Miss said she'd ^ share it' — and I've heard of a plow- 
share — and so there! Rip-him-up! I say, Rip-him-up- 
the-back!" 

[115] 





plow!' 



OKThimble Ffeople!' 



\ 



116 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




'Oh 
lovely 
beauty ! 



Scissors Shears gave a kick toward Emery Bag. 

''For shame!" said Mary Frances. "Now be good, 
Scissors Shears; and all guess again." 

"I give it up!" sighed Scissors Shears. 

"I'll tell you!" said Mary Frances. "No, I guess 
I'll show you! Now, Thimble People, look! look!" 
she exclaimed, bringing in Mary Marie and holding 
her up before Sewing Bird. 



"Oh, lovely beauty! 
, Lovely thing! 

And can it sing, 

Oh, can it sing?" 

No," laughed Mary Frances, "I don^t believe she. 
>) 

"Oh, what's her name? 
Oh, what's her name? 
Oh, will she run 
Or is she tame?" 



can! 



asked Sewing Bird.' 

"Very impohte," whispered Scissors Shears to 




Holding her up before Sewing Birci 




8. Pina^ire 




9. Morning DrecjC^ 



o o 







Mary Marie's Handkerchief 



117 



Tommy Pin Cushion, 'Ho call anybody, 'What's-her- 
name.' " 

"This," said Mary Frances, pretending she did not 
hear, 'Hhis, Thimble People, is Mary Marie." 

"A sweet little dolly 
Is Mary Marie! 

As pretty a dolly 
As ever could be. 

"She's not only sweet, 
But tidy and neat 
From the top of her head 
To the soles of her feet; 

''But she's full of real woes — 
From her head to her toes 
She sadly needs stitching 
And making of clothes," 

sang Sewing Bird. 

"She certainly does, dear Magic and Mystery," 
laughed Mary Frances. Then to Fairy Lady, — "and 
I shall need your help so much! I'm simply too excited 




vrhicperfed 
one aire 




^^ not only sweet. 
But tidy and neat" 



118 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




'I'm the 
richect 
Mother- in 
the world" 



to tell you rightly about all the rest of my perfectly 
beautiful surprise — but I will try." 

Then she told of Mary Marie and her trunk. 

''Bring in the trunk, — will you, please?" asked 
Fairy Lady, who had come at once, in answer to the 
magic word. 

''Yes, indeed!" said Mary Frances; "I'm the richest 
mother, I guess, in the world, with such beautiful goods, 
dear Thimble People — oh, such a wonderful lot!" 

Then she brought in the trunk and spread out all 
its pretty contents before the admiring eyes of the 
Thimble People. 

"It makes me sing 
As on the wing. 

Though now I'm not a birdie; 
I'll break in song 
And sing so long 
No one can say a wordie — 

if I don't look out," sang Fairy Lady, "with such 
lovely goods to use for our lesson ! But to-day's lesson, 
little Miss, is to make a dolly's handkerchief. You 
must first learn 




It make^ "^^ sm^" 



Mary Marie's Handkerchief 



119 



24. — Hem-stitching on Canvas 
(Size: seven and one-half inches by two and one-half inches) 

1. Draw out one group of threads one inch from edge of 
canvas. 

2. Turn a hem to meet open space and baste with white cotton. 

3. Thread needle with red cotton and begin at right hand side 
as for hemming, keeping the hem at the top. 

4. Point needle toward you; put needle under one group of 
cross threads and pull through. 

5. Put needle back and under same group of threads, and point 
it through the fold of the hem. Pull through. 

To make 

Pattern 3. — Doll's Handkerchief 
Cut a five-inch square of linen and prepare to do 



Hem-stitching on Linen 

1. One-half inch from the edge of the cloth, with the point 
of a needle, pick out and draw a coarse thread; then draw several 
more next to it. 

2. Do the same to the other sides. 

3. Now, turn a hem each side to meet the open space, and 
baste. 

4. Hem-stitch with number sixty cotton. 



Cut 
j/" linen 




Hem-^t'ttch'in<^ 



120 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




^/i; 



Don t- H«ive- 



''If we were not here to help you, dear Httle Miss, 
you'd have to wait until you were much bigger before 
doing hem-stitching, for it is quite a strain on the 
eyes. 

"You may do the canvas hem-stitching; then use the 
Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try for making dolly's hand- 
kerchief. Otherwise, you could simply hem the edges 
of the cloth, and learn about 

25. — Sewing on Lace Edging 

If lace is to be put on quite full, measure the distance on which 
it is to be sewed, and allow one and one-half times that distance in 
lace. 

1. Place the right side of the lace to the right side of the cloth. 
Baste lightly, along one side. Overhand — beginning one-half 
inch from end of lace. 

2. To turn a corner, measure the width of the lace, and allow 
twice the width, and pin a quarter of an inch beyond the corner. 
Overhand around the corner. Finish and allow one-half an inch 
on end of lace beyond sewing. Cut off. 

Note. — Valenciennes Lace has a heavy thread woven in the 
top on which the fullness may be drawn. A gathering thread 
should be run in lace without such a thread. 

4. To join the ends of lace you must learn about making 
a fell. 






ewino on 



.ne. 



.ace 



Edg^in^ 



Mary Marie's Handkerchief 



121 



''What is a feU?" asked Tommy Pin Cushion. 

''A fell's a fellow," solemnly declared Scissors 
Shears. 

''For shame!" exclaimed Fairy Lady. 

"What does 'fell' mean?" persisted Tommy Pin 
Cushion. 

"It means he fell down," said Scissors Shears. 

"Silly!" exclaimed Needle Book. "How could 
anybody 'fell down?' " 

"Down is entirely too soft to fell!" said Tommy 
Pin Cushion. 

"This is all foolish nonsense!" smiled Fairy 
Lady. "Let's proceed ; to make the felled 
seam." 

"Excuse me!" exclaimed Scissors Shears, "but 
how does a fell seem?" 

"It seems you seem to seem not to be what you 
seem to be!" laughed Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"What's that?" demanded Scissors Shears 
sharply. 

"A — a seemly feUow!" said Tommy Pin Cushion, 
gigghng. 

Everybody laughed. 




"5iUyr 




WKat U^i>-ftll?- 



122 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




I did 
»t witK 
nw little 
helmet* 



''You interrupted me/' said Fairy Lady,, ''in telling 
about 

26. — Making a Fell 

Cut two pieces of muslin, five inches long and two inches wide. 

1. Place the two pieces together, one one-eighth of an inch 
below the other. Baste with uneven basting. 

2. Sew together with Combination Stitch. (Two running 
stitches and a back stitch.) 

3. Take out the basting, and open the pieces of cloth, and lay 
the seam over so that the wider edge will be on the top. 

4. Turn this in over the narrow edge, and hem. 
Lace is joined in the same way. 

''Oh, I see, Fairy Lady. That is so that no raw 
edges will show," exclaimed Mary Frances. 

''Good!" smiled Fairy Lady. "Now, to hem-stitch 
the handkerchief." 

"Where did I put that square of lovely linen?" 
said Mary Frances. "Oh, I left it in the work basket. 
Why — why, look, dear Fairy Lady, look — it is all cut 
and hem-stitched." 

"How did this happen?" asked Fairy Lady. 

"I did it with my little helmet," answered a little 
voice. 




H^Utn^ a F^ll 



Mary Marie's Handkerchief 



123 



''Thimble!" exclaimed Mary Frances. 

''Thimble, what did you answer first for?" cried a 
sharp voice. "I started it!" 

"Oh, Scissors!" said Mary Frances. 

"Oh, for shame, — to quarrel before our little 
Miss — " began Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"Oh, you turned good, have you, Tommy Pin 
Cushion!" exclaimed Scissors Shears. 

"I had the honor, your Seamstress-ship," said 
Tomato Pin Cushion, "to furnish the ' Needle-of-Have- 
to-Try' for this work." 

"Ha! Ha!" laughed Needle Book. "That's a 
joke." 

"We did have to try hard," said Thimble, "to get 
it done so soon." 

"I thank you all, dear Thimble People," said Mary 
Frances. 

"Will you sew on the lace edging and bring it next 
time?" asked Fairy Lady. 

"I will,—" said Mary Frances, "Oh, I haven't 
shown you the outlined kitties. Aren't they 
good?" 

"Splendid!" exclaimed Fairy Lady. 




'We did 

knave to 

try ha^d 




Ha! Ha!' 



124 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



"Those kittens always will be good 
And never bother you for food; 
You'll never have to lay down laws 
To make them wash their heads and paws; 
Their whiskers, too, will stand out straight 
As when they sit before the grate; 
They won't annoy you with their noise 
Nor hide away your pretty toys; 
But kittens quite as good as that 
Were never kittens of a cat." 

''Oh, no," laughed Mary Frances. "Jubey'd 
never recognize them. She'd not know they were 
kittens." 

''Oh, Jubey!" exclaimed Sewing Bird Lady, anx- 
iously. "Would she eat me?" 

"No," said Mary Frances. "Not Jubey. She 
never looks at Dick Canary." 

"Oh, I forgot," said Fairy Lady, "I am a bird 
without feathers, and Jubey wouldn't care for a bird 
that didn't tickle her nose." 





cvweet little dolly 



^ry 



an el 



J 



ClraPTER XVIII 



3 (N]iQMTIE POR her (UllTTtE [N]rtP 



"A 



CHARMING thing 
To make Marie, 

Will be a dainty 
White nightie," 



sang Sewing Bird. 

"Oh, good!" exclaimed Mary Frances. ''That 
is just what she needs. I had to loan her Angle's 
best one; and Angle's terribly cross. You see, I fear 
she is a little jealous of my new dolly. I'll not neglect 
Angle, but you understand, dear Sewing Bird Lady, 
that it is my duty to clothe this child — " anxiously — 
''Isn't that perfectly right?" 

"What would she wear? WTiat would she wear 
Without a loving mother's care? 
She'd freeze with every winter's breeze. 
She'd die of shame if any tease; — 
For every thinking body knows 
No doll is glad without fine clothes." 

[125] 




"White 
niohtie 




'^CS'^JS '^©•'»'»*2iy *^r?3S* 



126 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

''Thank you, Magic and Mystery," said Mary 
Frances. 

''And," smiled Fairy Lady, "the Thimble People 
have been quite busy since last lesson — see?" She 
puUed from under the cushion of the doll's chair a 
paper pattern. 

"Oh, how lovely!" exclaimed Mary Frances, clap- 
ping her hands. "A real pattern just such as Mother 
uses when she makes my dresses? What is this pattern 
to be used for?" 

"For a dolly's nightgown," rephed Fairy Lady, 
smihng happily. "Now, the materials required are: 

Three-quarters of a yard of lawn, or muslin. Long-cloth is 
a very nice kind of muslin to use. 

Three-quarters of a yard of lace ribbon beading. 
One yard baby ribbon. 

-Qi I "Here they are!" said Mary Frances, hunting 

I * I I ^ among the treasures in Mary Marie's trunk. 
*^XS^ "They are perfectly all right," smiled Fairy Lady. 

"Even to a fairy?" laughed Mary Frances. 

"Even to a fairy," nodded Fairy Lady. 

"Now, see if you can cut out 





psaper- patter^ 



A Nightie for Her Little Nap 127 

Pattern 4. — Doll's Nightgown 

See Insert I 

Follow the directions on the folded sheet. 
To cut out — 

1. Fold the lawn crosswise. 

2. Lay edge of the pattern having the two rings (oo) on the 
folded edge of the lawn. 

3. Cut out, being careful to clip the little V-shaped notches 
before removing the pattern. 

Note. — Always clip a small gash in the corner under arm of 
these kimono-style dresses. 

It took Mary Frances some time to fold the goods 
and pin the pattern on most carefully. So anxious 
was she to begin " cutting out that she didn't notice 
Scissors Shears looking at her most beseechingly. 

''If only — " he whispered — ''if only — " but Sewing 
Bird Fairy Lady gave him an indignant push with her 
bodkin wand. 

"The Httle lady must learn how/' she said. 

"Of course, of course/' said Scissors Shears in a ^vhicpef* 
whisper, clicking off the words sharply, "but I want to 
help—" 

"You'll help if you lend yourself — " 





Lay ecic^e of^pattei'n on i^lded eci<5e o^ lawn 



128 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Ts he d 

Thimble 

person?' 



" Lend myself," said Scissors Shears. '' Now I might 
lend some one else. I could lend Bod Kin, for instance." 

''Bod Kin!" exclaimed Mary Frances, catching 
the last words. ''Is he a Thimble person?" 

"He was!" sighed Scissors Shears, letting several 
tears fall. 

"But," explained Fairy Lady, "one day he refused 
to do as the King commanded, and would not go through 
the muslin — so the King changed him into a blunt- 
nosed needle; and he has been compelled to be good ever 
since, even without his own consent." 

"Poor Bod Kin!" said Scissors Shears, turning over 
so sharply that everybody jumped, 

"Poor Bod Kin, 
He didn't win; 
It is a sin, 
Thin as a pin, 

Can't make a din — 
Poor old Bod Kin! 
If I were he 
And he were I, 
He wouldn't be he 
And I wouldn't be I." 




Poor Boa Km' 



A Nightie for Her Little Nap 



129 



"Hee-hee," tinkled the silvery voice of Silver 
Thimble. '' If you get too bright, you'U try to cut things 
out with one leg, Mr. Scissors." 

''Come/' said Fairy Lady, ''Miss Mary Frances, 
your Seamstress-ship, will you please begin to cut the 
goods?" 

"Lend yourself!" whispered Tomato Pin Cushion 
to Scissors Shears. 

"Tommy Pin Cushion, you're stuck up!" clicked 
Scissors Shears, walking across the sewing table. 

"Fll cut by the pattern most carefully, dear Sewing 
Bird Lady," said Mary Frances. 

"Come," taking Scissors Shears up quite carelessly. 
"Just like a grown up lady," she thought as she cut 
out the little nightgown, and proudly held it up to the 
view of the Thimble People. 

"Beautiful!" they cried. 

"Not so beautiful as it will be," said Fairy Lady, 
"when it 

Has lace and ribbon, 
And ribbon and lace, 
Holding the lovely 
Things in place." 




^^ou•'^' 



Lenci 

•If! 




' Beautiful !' 



130 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




''Oh/' said Mary Frances. ''I can scarcely wait!" 

''Well, then/' said Fairy Lady, "let us begin 

by learning a neat method of putting two materials 

together when the edges fray easily. It is called a 

27. — French Seam 

1. Put the wrong sides of two pieces of goods against each other. 

2. Baste about one-eighth of an inch from edge. 

3. Sew with running stitch near the basting. Remove basting. 

4. Turn the goods the other side out, and baste so as to 
enclose the seam. 

5. Stitch with half-backstitching. 

"Now, let us see what the nightgown looks like?" 

Mary Frances held it up. 

"Good!" said the Fairy Lady. "Next you'll learn 

To Make Doll's Nightgown. — (Pattern 4.) 

1. Fold the two long halves together, and pin the notches 
against each other. 

2. Baste carefully along this edge, and try on dolly. Alter, 
if necessary. 

3. With running stitch, sew near the basting. 

4. Turn to other side and baste seam carefully to enclose 
the first seam — a French Seam. 

5. Sew with half-backstitching. Turn to right side. 




Ooocl!''^aid Fairy Lady 



A Nightie for Her Little Nap 



131 



"Do you recognize the French Seam?" 

"Indeed I do," smiled Mary Frances. 

"You may use the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try for 
this lesson," said Fairy Lady, "because you've already 
learned these stitches. Doesn't it pay to work patiently 
at first?" 

"Oh, I'm the gratefulest child," said Mary Frances, 
taking from Needle Book the shining needle, which 
seemed almost too precious to use, and beginning to 
sew. 

In a twinkle the French seams were neatly made. 

"Now," said Fairy Lady, "fold a three-quarter of 
an inch hem at the bottom, and baste. Then hem it." 

The hemming the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try 
quickly did. 

"Ready," continued Fairy Lady, "for 

Finishing the Neck 

Clip a half dozen little slashes in the edge of the neck, and 
turn back to the right side of the goods one-quarter of an inch. 
Baste. 

Turn back one-quarter of an inch the end of the lace beading 
lor ribbon, and baste it over the turned back goods, beginning 
in the center of the back. 




Im 

the 




To -flnl^Vk necU 



132 



The Maey Frances Sewing Book 




Tlireacl 
Bod Kin 
with 
ribbon 



Cut off the lace beading one-quarter of an inch beyond the 
place it meets the beginning, and finish by turning it in one- 
quarter of an inch. Hem beading down on lower edge. 

Finish the Sleeves 

in the same way, but it is not necessary to slash them. Then 
sew by overhanding stitch, some Valenciennes lace in neck and 
sleeves. Join ends of the lace by a fell. 

''Is that right?" asked Mary Frances at length. 

''Good/' smiled Fairy Lady. "Now thread Bod 
Kin with the pretty baby ribbon, and run it in and out 
of the lace beading." 

"Not your fairy wand!" exclaimed Mary Frances, 
hesitating to take hold of the bodkin wand Fairy Lady 
was holding out to her. 

"For those who try," smiled Fairy Lady, "no 
gift of the fairies is too good. Be sure to commence 
to run the ribbon in at the center of the front," she 
added, as Mary Frances took up Bod Kin. "And 
leave ends long enough to tie pretty big bows." 

"Isn't it a darling!" exclaimed the little girl, hold- 
ing up the white nightgown. "Now to try it on Mary 
Marie." 




To -fTni^b tbe^leeve 




il.Una 



erwai 



'5* 




19. <Aui 



nnpe 



r 


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■\ n 






/ / 






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J '>-' 


y 






/ / 


-Lvooixxaa bOd 












UJ o^ 

Q. - 

I o 
5 z 

(5 




/ / 


< — 


-^ 













/ 


^ \ 







< 




-^ 


1 1 


____^ MOVQ I 




V 










LU <$^\ 

or \ \ 

UJ \ ^ 

cQ \ '^^ ^ 

-z. 2 
— I— 

o / / 

'^ / /' 

u-i ^x^ 


1 ^ - 
2 

«. > o o 






D ; 

Z ; 

< : 
ifi ' 

ui 

> I 

uJ 
-J 
03 

111 
Q. 

I 


o 


(OH 


ii 

is 


L 













A Nightie for Her Little Nap 



133 



''Draw the ribbon to fit her neck and arms," said 
Sewing Bird Fairy Lady, "and tie the bows." 

''Sweet Mary Marie!" sighed Mary Frances, look- 
ing at the lovely doll. "You ought to sleep well in 
such a pretty nightie! Isn't it beautiful!" 



"Oh, dear me!" 

Such a sigh! 

Mary Frances looked up in surprise. Fairy Lady 
was gazing at Mary Marie with a sad, wistful look. 

"Why, dear Fairy Lady," exclaimed Mary Frances, 
"what's the matter?" 

"Nothing, my dear, so very queer," said the Fairy 
Lady smiling; "only that nightgown is just my size." 

"Oh," exclaimed Mary Frances. "So it is! You 
can have it, dear Fairy Lady. I'll work and work to 
make Mary Marie another. Do take it!" 

"No, thank you, dear little Miss," said Sewing 
Bird Lady, 

"I've lovely fairy robes galore, 
A thousand, and perhaps some more, — 




mei 




Sweet »'^^5[y r^arie 




The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

But when I see your loving care, 
I'd be your dolly — I declare 
I really think I would; — but, there! 
I hear your grandma on the stair — 
Peep!" 





ou oudht to ^leep weU in ^ucK 
j^a pretty nightie!' 



ClttflPTER XIX 



u 



I 



1H]eR (DrtTH EJoBE 

F only in her nightie clad, 

She took a cold, 'twould be too bad — 
And so the dear child may not freeze, 
And so the dear child may not sneeze, 
A nice warm bath robe next will be 
Our lesson finished — " 



Sewing Bird stopped singing. 

''Brought to she," interrupted the tinkling voice of 
Silver Thimble. 

''Silv Thimble!" exclaimed Sewing Bird, ''when 
I need help, I'll call upon you — " 

"Magic and Mystery!" laughed Mary Frances. 

"Oh, dear Fairy Lady," said she. "Is it true— ^topped 
is it true — a bath robe for Mary Marie?" 

"Yes," smiled Fairy Lady. "Here is 

[135] 







^In^in^ 




Bf^oudh 



t to 



136 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Vhat 



ute 



«je; 



Pattern 5. — Doll's Bath Robe 

See Insert I 
To cut out — 

1. Cut in the same way as nightgown, using the pattern 
marked bath robe. 

2. Remove pattern from material. 

3. On the pattern, find the pinholes pricked along the neck 
line. 

Cut down one row of these pinholes. 

Fold the paper back along the other row of pinholes. 

4. Spread open the bath robe. 

Pin pattern in place on one thickness of material. 
Cut along the V-shaped neck line. 
Remove pattern. 

5. Continue to cut the V-shaped neck to the bottom of the 
robe. 

This makes the front opening. 

''Pin it to the goods. Cut it out most care- 
fuUy." 

"But what goods shall I use, dear teacher?" asked 
Mary Frances, searching in Mary Marie's trunk. 

''Oh, look, here is some lovely hght blue eider-down 
flannel." 

"Just the thing!" exclaimed Fairy Lady. 




Conimue V ^V»«pecl operxtn^ to bottoi 



Her Bath Robe 



137 



"Is there any ribbon to match?" peering over the 
table edge to look into the trunk. 

"Too narrow/' as Mary Frances held some up. 

"There!" pointing down into the tray of the trunk, 
"that Dresden figured, pink and blue, inch wide rib- 
bon is beautiful, and there must be about a yard and 
three-quarters of it." 

"Lovely!" exclaimed Mary Frances, putting it 
with the flannel on the table. "Now, I'll cut out the 
bath robe." 

"Very important! Very important!" whispered 
Tonamy Pin Cushion as Scissors Shears came dancing, 
first on one leg and then on the other, to the edge of 
the table. 

"I can't bother with you," whispered Scissors 
Shears, looking cross-eyed at Tommy Pin Cushion, 
"I've too much to go through," glancing up to see if 
Mary Frances noticed; but the little girl was smooth- 
ing out and pinning the pattern in place, and did not 
seem to hear. 

"Oumph!" groaned Scissors Shears, as Mary 
Frances cut into the thick fabric. 

"Bite into it hard, Scissors!" laughed Tommy Pin 




wi 



' I can i 
bother 
tU vou 




feiTy importan 



i!' 



138 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

Cushion, but Fairy Lady silenced him with a wave of 
her wand. 

''All cut out, and so well!" she said. 

Scissors Shears looked pleased, as Mary Frances 
laid him down on the table. 

Then Fairy Lady told how 

To Make Doll's Bath Robe. — (Pattern 5.) 

1. Pin seams together, being certain to match notches. 

2. Baste. Try on doll. Alter, if necessary. 

3. Stitch, or use combination stitch (two running stitches 
and a back-stitch). 

4. Overcast, or blanket-stitch the raw edges of the seams. 

5. Fold inch wide ribbon, and slip it over the raw edges of the 
bath robe — that is, the fronts and neck, and the sleeves. 

6. To fit ribbon around curves, gather it a short distance on 
the fuller edge. 

T^in ccamo When ready to cut ribbon, allow one-half inch for folding 
to^etUer* ^^^^^ when finishing. 

v3 Hem ends down carefully. 

7. With sewing silk to match the ribbon, sew it to the robe, 
with small "in and out" stitches, slanting the needle slightly 
each time. Pull needle through to wrong side, then through to right 
side with each stitch — just as you did first stitches in canvas work. 

8. Turn bottom of robe up one inch. Baste. 
Catch-stitch with close stitches. 




3lip ribt»on oveir raw ed^es 



Her Bath Robe 



139 



Mary Frances worked quietly for some time. 
"But how will my child fasten her bath robe?" she 
asked at length. 

*'0h," said Fairy Lady. "That's a good question! 
Now learn, 

28. — To Sew on Hooks and Eyes 
No. 36 cotton, No. 7 needle. Two pieces muslin three inches 
by three inches. Fold in half. Baste edges. 

The Eye 

1. Place the eye a little beyond the double edge of the muslin. 
Hold firmly. 

2. Overhand around the circles of the eye, beginning at the 
further side. Try not to let stitches come out on other side of 
the cloth. 

3. Take three stitches at each side of the eye near edge of 
the cloth to prevent its being lifted when the hook is pulled. 
Fasten thread carefully in cloth near the eye. 

The Hook 

1. Put the hook into the eye, facing it upward. 

2. Take the other piece of muslin and place double edge just 
meeting the double edge of the first piece. Hold the hook down 
on this piece of muslin where it should come. Mark the place 
and now unfasten the hook from the eye. 




irlooh 




and EI 



140 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



3. Hold hook firmly in place with left thumb and fingers, 
and overhand the two circles of the hooks. 

4. Put needle under the bent part of hook and take four 
stitches in the same place, just under the bent part. 

5. Fasten the thread by taking three stitches close beside 
the hook, then take three stitches on the other side close to 
hook. This secure fastening must be made because of the strain 
which comes on this part of the hook. 

Note: If the eye will show on a garment it is better 



) 



^ 

S 



VlOV»< 



eis 



29. — To Make Eyelet Loops 

Use a piece of muslin three inches square. Fold in half, and 
baste edges. No. 7 needle; No. 36 cotton. 

1. Knot the thread. 

2. One-half an inch from double edge, take four stitches about 
one-quarter of an inch long, over each other; bring needle out at 
lower end. 

3. Turn the cloth and make blanket stitches over the four 
stitches. It is more easily done if the eye, instead of the point 
of the needle, is put through the long stitches. 

4. When the stitches are filled with the blanket stitch, bring 
needle to wrong side of goods near the last blanket stitch taken 
and fasten securely. 



"As we have so little time at a lesson, your Seam- 
stress-ship," said Fairy Lady, *'you will please prac- 




Evelet I 



oop 



Her Bath Robe 



141 



tice making the loops and putting on the hooks and 
eyes during the week. 

'^'A pretty cord for her waist is made by placing two 
strands of heavy zephyr yarn together, and twisting 
each end the opposite way. There, I see some charming 
bhie in the trunk! You may cut two pieces, each two 
yards long, and place them together. I wiU.hold them 
at one end. You, at the other. Now, ready: 

The ends in your hand, left you twist; 
To the right, I turn mine with the wrist; 
By the center, I hold the twisted strand : 
Let go! A rope for doUy, — grand! 
A knot in each end next we tie, 
Then fringe each end, both you and I. 
A girdle for a queen not neater, 
No queen than doUy could be sweeter." 

''Isn't that a lovely girdle!" exclaimed Mary 
Frances. 

''It is!" agreed Fairy Lady, "and now, with the 
Needle -of -Don't -Have -to -Try, finish the bath robe, 
ready for tacking the girdle in place." 




iwi^tind 



eacK 



eni 



»ppOC^ 



• ie v/a 



142 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




\oveiiec^ 



''It's the loveliest thing I've ever made," cried 
Mary Frances, holding up the soft woolly robe to view, 
''and it's all finished for my darling Mary Marie, — 
except the hook and eye." 

"Not quite," said Sewing Bird Fairy Lady; "we 
like to teach little girls to be neat, — and how can 
Mary Marie hang up her clothes without 

30. — Loops of Tape 
Flat Loops 

Flat loops are sewed to inside of coat or waist collar, or skirt 
bands. 

1. Cut narrow tape one-half an inch longer than the right 
length for the space in which it is to be used. 

2. Turn under the ends one-quarter of an inch, and baste in 
place. 

3. Hem down each end on three sides, the width of the 
tape. 

4. Sew with a double row of stitching across the tape just 
beyond the hemming. 

Towel Loops 

Are used on towels and on inside of sleeves. 
1. Fold tape to form a point. 



Ol 



II.. «i* 



Hat ^oopcj 



Her Bath Robe 143 

2. Overhand the two ends together in center, for a distance 
of three-quarters of an inch from the ends. 

3. Turn back the two ends one-quarter of an inch, and baste 
to the hemmed edge of towel, or muslin, and hem down. 

4. Turn to right side. Hem down the cloth to the tape at the 
lower edge of the hem. Fasten thread. 

'Of course," exclaimed Mary Frances. "Why, 
my dear Sewing Bird Lady, I couldn't be neat myself 
without 'hangers."' 

*' Neither can Mary Marie," sang Sewing Bird. 

''Could she be sweet, 
Could she be neat, 
From her dear head 



To her cute feet; ^^^®^ 

Without the stitches loop'e 



Made with care. 
Without a comb 

For her fair hair, 
Without some mending 

Of her clothes, 
Without clean hankies 

For her nose, 







don^ Sewing Bird 




144 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Without a patient 

Mother's sewing? 
But hark! Dear friend, 
You must be going! 
Peep-Peep!" 




J 




tne ihiri^! exciai 



me« 



ICIhapter XX 



Eidia 



hINC 



THE sun shone brightly into the sewing-room | 
everything was neatly in place. Sewing Bird 
was sitting on her perch on the sewing table. 
Mary Frances' work basket was at one end. 

That is the way things looked as Mary Frances 
peeped in the door to see what the Thimble People 
might be doing. 

She was just about to enter, when she saw a little 
fluttering in the work basket. 

''Oh, I do hope they'll have some fun," she thought. 

Over the edge of the basket peeped the bright httle 
eyes of Silver Thimble. Then he tumbled out on the 
sewing table. 

''Why didn't you step over, Silv?" asked Scissors 
Shears, stepping over the side of the basket. 

"I'll take steps to find out why," said Tommy 
Pin Cushion, rolling over the side. 

"You'll take steps! Impossible!" exclaimed Emery 

[1451 





Severn d 

on her 
perch 



Over the ed^e oTthe h^ket 



146 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



iih, I've 
been 



Bag. ''Why, Fatty, I could get out of the basket as 
easily as that myself!" And out he jumped. 

Then out came Pen Cil, carrying a little piece of 
paper. 

"What's that for?" asked Silver Thimble, pointing 
to the paper. 

"What do you 'spose, Tinkle?" he asked, loftily 
looking down upon the little fellow — "to write on." 

"Oh, I ought to have known," snickered Silver 
Thimble. "You always do write!" 

"I am the only one of you who does, though," 
and Pen Cil hopped on his one leg to the other end of 
the table. Jumping up and down, he began: 

"All ready for the grand presentation? Let's 
practice!" 

"Not so fast! Not so fast! Mr. Pen Cil," ex- 
claimed Needle Book. "I lead!" 

"Oh, beg your pardon," said Pen Cil. "I forgot! 
I'm lead — ah, I've always been lead," sighing. 

"Ha! Ha!" laughed Tommy Pin Cushion, "tied 
to his miss's apron-strings!" 

'But where are the rest of us?" called out Scissors 
Shears. 




Ha' Hal 



Ma Chine 



147 



With that, out sprang all the needles and pins — 
even a few safety pins Mary Frances had put in one 
corner of her work box; all the buttons, and all the 
other little findings; so many, Mary Frances couldn't 
see where they came from. 

Then Sewing Bird, who had been looking on with 
interest, began to sing: 

"Now, listen here. 
This must be clear: 

This Presentation Party 
Is for our Httle Mistress dear — 

Look out, there, Mr. Smarty!" 

as Scissors Shears nearly tumbled off the table. 



"I will take 

The lady's place, 
And you will pass 

Before my face 
As when she's here, 
Our Mistress dear. 

At our Presentation Party 




^*-*^ ^P*^^!!^ ®^' *^^ ^mall ^ndin^c, 



148 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

"Now, I will make 
My little speech, 
Then you can follow 
One and each — " 

"Except," interrupted Silver Thimble, "the tiny 
Tom Thumb Thimble Folks," drawing himself up to 
his full height. 

"They only bow — 
They all know how," 

said Sewing Bird. 

"Now, all ready to hear the speech!" 
"Speech! Speech!" cried the Thimble People. 
Speech I Sewing Bird began: 



►eec 



U!' 



Our Mistress dear, 
Your heart to cheer, 

We're going to give a party; 
And we will evermore be true, 
And everyone of us to you 

Will pledge allegiance hearty." 




Sewing Sird bea<bn 




-R 



14. rvomper 



p^*;!) 





13. D 



rawer 



5 



15 Bloomer'< 



c» 



O 



(r 

uJ 

Q- 

I 
O 



1 

d 
Z 




C/) 50 0^ 

cr cc w 

LjJ ui 7* 

? ^ o 

'c r o 

cr o -J 

Q CC^ CO 

S2 ^ i2 




o o 



Ma Chine 



149 



"Next—" 

Then came Silver Thimble, bowing before Sewing 



Bird, 



"I'm Silver Thimble, 
Bright and nimble." 



Then Scissors Shears, bowing, 



I'm Scissors Shears, 
With rather long ears." 



Then Tommy Pin Cushion, 



"I'm Tomato Pin Cushion— 
(Silv, stop your pushin'!)" 



Then Emery Bag, 



I'm Emery Bag, 
I never brag." 







I'm lomato Pin Cu3hion 



150 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Then Needle Book, 



I'm Needle Book, 
Please take a look. 

And do not look awry; 
I hold within 
Without a pin, 

TheNeedle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try." 




Then Pen Cil, 



Tm 

Needle 

Book* 



''I always do right.'* 



"That's no rhyme!" exclaimed Scissors Shears. 
"Well, it sounds better than 

"I'm Pen Cil, 
I present my biU. 



Now," said Sewing Bird, 



"The little Tom Thumb Folks 
Will all together bow — " 




Now , ^aaid ^Sewin^ Bird 



Ma Chine 



151 



''Bow, wow, wow!" finished Tommy Pin Cushion, 
and all the Thimble People laughed. Their laugh- 
ing sounded as if the button box had been 
upset. 

Then the needles and pins and buttons began to 
bow and dance, making such a funny sight that Mary 
Frances nearly laughed aloud. 

''Won't our mistress be pleased with all of us!" 
exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion. "Come, pets!" and 
the needles and pins flew to him. 

"Come, pets!" mimicked Emery Bag, and a few 
needles left Tommy Pin Cushion to go to him. 

"Piggy!" exclaimed Emery Bag, looking crossly 
at Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"Oh, no," said Tommy. "Pm just softer-hearted 
than you, — so they cling to me." 

"Tee-hee," laughed Silver Thimble; "but— our 
little Miss will be pleased with this party, for — 



'We're all here. 
We're all here; 

Ready to see 
Our Mistress dear." 




Come, pet^' 



152 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Then came a whirring sound, 




Oh.mv! 



"Zee-zee-zee-zee 

Zumm, zumm, zumm, 
Zumm, zumm, zuncim, 

Zee-zumm, zee-zumm, 
Zee-zumm, zee-zumm-m-m" 

and Mary Frances noticed the Sewing Machine 
wheels going around. 

''Oh, my! Oh, my!" exclaimed Sewing Bird, 
fluttering her wings and tugging to get away from the 
table, 

"What an awful mistake, 
No song I can make — 
We forgot Ma!" 

"Forgot whom?" asked Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"Forgot me," zummed Sewing Machine. "All 
theze dayz, my little onez, I've been hearing theze 
lovely lezzons — but not one of you, no, not one, remem- 
bered your Ma Chine! Zum! Zum!" 




•ee-zumm, zee-zumm-m-m 



Ma Chine 



153 



''What shall we do?" whispered the Thimble 
People. 

"Listen to what 
I zay, I zay! 
I will take part 
To-day, to-day!" 

''I cannot bear 

A thing like thiz, 
I wished to help 

Our nttle Mizz, 
Zumm! Zumm!" 




Then all the Thimble People cried together, 

"Oh, Miss Ma Chine, 
Oh, our Ma Chine, 
Forgive us all — 
Don't make a scene!" 



and 



"Zum! Zeee-zeum," began Ma Chine, when Mary 
Frances stepped in the door. 

"Magic and Mystery," she said, smiling. "I 
heard it all — all the lovely Presentation Party I 




"Listen to what 



I 



xay 



I 



I " 



154 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



couldn't bear to interrupt it — and I do thank you every 
one, my dear little friends — and my new friend, Ma 
Chine." 

"Zum-zum," hummed Sewing Machine softly 

"Some day," added Mary Frances, "when we have 
time, we will have the Grand Presentation Party all 
over again." 

"Oh, goody! goody! won't it be grand!" cried the 
Thimble People. 

''To-day's lesson," began Fairy Lady, ''is to make 
a kimono for Mary Marie." 

Mary Frances gravely sat Mary Marie in a chair 
and opened her trunk. 

"That Japanese crepe is just right for the purpose," 
said Fairy Lady, "with this plain lavender three- 
quarter inch ribbon for trimming." ' 
"Oh doojy! "Now comes 
<ipoay! 




?3^' 



Pattern 6. — ^Doll's Kimono 
See Insert I 

1. Cut out by pattern of bath robe. 

2. Clip several little gashes in the edge of the neck, and turn 
fronts and neck back on right side of goods one-quarter of an 
inch. Crease flat. 




Clip^evereil ^^Hac^hec^ in neck 



Ma Chine 



155 



Do the same to the ends of the sleeves. 

3. Lay three-quarter inch ribbon flat on top of the turned 
edges of the kimono. Baste. 

To fit ribbon around curves, gather it along the fuller edge. 

4. Overhand, run, or stitch down the edges along the front 
opening of kimono and sleeves. 

5. Hem, run, or stitch down the opposite edge of the ribbon. 

6. Baste seams of kimono together on right side. 
Try on. Make French seams. 

7. Finish the bottom of kimono with a three-quarter inch 
hem. 

Note. — Instead of ribbon, trimming bands of plain lawn may 
be used. If these are used, proceed in the following manner: 

For neck and fronts, cut band exactly the same shape as the 
opening of kimono, making the band one and a half inches wide. 

Cut two sleeve bands each seven inches long and two inches 
wide. 

After turning in the edges of kimono opening, turn in the 
edges of the trimming band one-quarter inch. 

Lay it against kimono opening, fitting the neck carefully. 

Fold sleeve bands in half, lengthwise. Crease well. 

Open. Pin band flat against end of sleeve. Stitch one- 
quarter inch from edge. Turn over and crease. Turn down 
the other side of band one-quarter inch. Fold band along 
the center crease. Bring ttirned-in edge of band over the edge 
stitched to sleeve. 

Baste. Hem or stitch down. 




Rn band 
to bottom 

v3' 



or^ Ckleeve 




Fit ribbon around curvec. 



156 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Fairy Lady gave these directions very slowly, and 
Mary Frances followed them carefully. When she 
came to stitching the band, Sewing Ma Chine said, 

"Little Lady Seamstress, please just put that under 
my foot, and it will be done in nearly no time.'* 

"Thank you. Ma Chine, but Mother wouldn't 
let me," said Mary Frances. 

"Oh, I'll be responsible!" said Ma Chine, and as 
Mary Frances set the little sleeve under the foot, she 
began to whirl her wheels so rapidly, Mary Frances 
couldn't see them. 

"Oh, thank you," said the little girl. "Will you 
do the front trimming band?" 

"Yez, indeed," said Ma Chine, singing "Zum-zum- 
zum!" 

"Isn't this delightful, Mary Marie!" exclaimed the 
little girl. "What a lot of dear friends we have!" 

Then Fairy Lady smiled. "The next is 

Pattern 7. — Dressing Sack 

See Insert I 

1. Cut out by pattern of bath robe, making it only as long 
as the row of pinholes marked Dressing Sack. 




Ill be re 



?3pon3i 



Ma Chine 



157 



2. Finish the fronts and neck, and sleeves by "pinking," or 
notching closely with the scissors; or, 

3. Transfer the pattern for scallops given below. 

To do this — With a soft lead pencil, trace scallops through 
the tissue paper. 

Turn the tissue over, and lay the picture of scallops against 
the sleeves (and fronts), and trace over on the wrong side. 

This will leave a penciled outline on the goods. 

Instead of this method, the outline of the scallops may be 
traced through tissue and "carbon" paper. 

With embroidery cotton, work the scallops in blanket stitch. 

The Dressing Sack may be finished with ribbon or 
BANDS, in just the same way as the kimono. Embroider the rib- 
bon or bands with 

31. — Feather Stitching 

To learn to make the stitch, use linen canvas 3 in. by 7 in., 
and blunt needle and heavy red working cotton. 

1. Work toward you. Hold canvas over the left forefinger. 

2. Five threads in and down at left hand comer, draw needle 
through from underneath. Let thread hang. 

3. Count one thread to right, point needle downward slant- 
ing to hole directly beneath the hole needle first came through. 
Pull through. 

4. Repeat, inserting needle one hole to the left instead of 
right. Always let thread fall under point of needle on right side 
of canvas, before pulling it through. 




Feather 
vStitcViind 



W^^r:A:rA:=^A:ry^:=:^ 



Ir'ary^^r- 



>atterr% 



^ 



or 



.ca 



\l 



R!> 



158 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



"Now try it on the bands of the dressing sack." 
''Good!" as Mary Frances held up the samplers. 
''Here is a puzzle, riddle, or conundrum: 

"Mary Marie is feather-stitched — 
Yet not a feather is on her." 



Mary Frances laughed, 
look in feathers," she said — 
Then Sewing Bird sang: 



"I wonder how she'd 



''She'd make a fine bird, 
Upon my word, 
She'd sing a sweet song, 
And the only thing wrong — 
Her feathers and song 
Would be tightly glued on!" 

"Oh, Sewing Bird!" laughed Mary Frances, shak- 
ing her finger, ''how did you know the voice of a 
'talking doll' was 'glued on'?" 




j1C]™pter XXI 

|(fl]uNT (MJdRm mrtKES a jyJisiT 



"N 



OW, one thing more, — 
A pinafore, 
We'll make for a doll 
We almost adore." 



"A pinafore! — Sewing Bird Lady," exclaimed Mary 
Frances. ''An apron for Mary Marie?" 

''Yes," smiled Fairy Lady, "a big apron which she 
can use as a dress until you make her some dresses — 
then she can use it as a ' co ver-me-up ' apron." 

"Oh, good!" said Mary Frances, "and, dear Fairy 
Lady, I want to tell you — I've a lovely surprise! My 
Aunt Maria is coming to see us." 

"Aunt Maria — oh, does she love sewing?" 

"Indeed she does! She made a bed quilt when she 
was — let me see, — maybe — I think — it was when she 
was two years old." 

"Tee-hee!" giggled Tommy Pin Cushion. 

[159] 




pino/bre 




lee - 



<* 



160 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




d- 



cnooo 



r 



''Oh, I beg your pardon," he said, pretending he 
had stepped on Scissors Shears' toes. 

"A-choooo!" said Needle Book, pretending to sneeze. 

"She must have been a wonderful child," said Fairy- 
Lady. 

''She was," said Mary Frances, "and the loveliest 
cook ever! She told me all about it ! She almost knew 
the Kitchen People." 

"Well, I'm glad such a delightful person is coming, 
I'm sure," said Fairy Lady, "but let us have as much 
done as possible before she gets here. To do to-day's 
lesson, we have to learn the best way for 

32. — Sewing on Buttons 

1. Make a pinhole where the button is to be sewed. Thread 
a No. 7 needle with No. 36 cotton — the cotton double, — and make 
a knot. 

2. From the right side put needle down through the cloth in 
the pinhole mark, bringing the knot on the right side. The 
knot is then hidden under the button. 

3. Bring the needle partly through near the knot on the right 
side. 

4. Put the button on needle. Draw needle through. 

5. Take a stitch down through the opposite hole, and put a 
pin through this stitch. 





3ev/ in«^ on button^ 



Aunt Maria Makes a Visit 



161 



6. Sew through the holes, making a cross over the button and 
pin. 

7. Take out the pin. This will loosen the stitches. 

8. Bring out the needle from under side of cloth, between the 
button and cloth. 

9. Wind the thread around the stitches under the button 
three or four times. This allows for the thickness of the button 
hole. 

10. Fasten on the wrong side. 

In sewing a button with a shank or loop, take several over 
and over stitches with double thread. 

If putting on a number of buttons, the button-holes should be 
made first, and the place for buttons be marked through them. 



to 



"When does Aunt Maria arrive?" asked Fairy Lady. 

"I don't exactly know/' said Mary Frances. 

''Oh, I hope — " began Scissors Shears; — then the 
bell rang. 

"A lady to see you, Miss," said Katie, coming upr you 
stairs. 

''It's Aunt Maria! It's Aunt Maria!" exclaimed 
Mary Frances, jumping down the stairs, two steps at 
a time. 

"Oh, dear Aunt Maria, how perfectly grand!" 
kissing the old lady again and again. "Have you had 




lody 




Wind thread around ^I'ltchej 



162 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




lunch? Grandma always takes an outing on Wednes- 
day afternoons, and she'll be so sorry not to be home to 
welcome you!" 

''But I feel very welcome," laughed Aunt Maria, 
"and I have had lunch, thank you, my dear." 

"Then you can come right up-stairs," said Mary 
Frances, leading the way to the guest-room. 

After taking off her hat and smoothing her hair, 
Aunt Maria began: 

"What are you doing, child, all alone this afternoon 
— are you often alone? You have no chance to cook 
here, I imagine." 

"No, Aunt Maria," said Mary Frances. "I'm 
very busy, never- the-less." 

"Busy!" exclaimed Aunt Maria; "and what do 
you do, pray?" 

"S'sh! Aunt Maria — it's another secret!" 

"How lovely!" smiled the old lady 

"I'm — " standing on tip-toe to whisper into her 
aunt's ear — "I'm learning to sew." 

"No?" exclaimed Aunt Maria. "Why, my dear child, 
how — how can you learn to sew? I know your grand- 
ma cannot see to teach you — her eyes are too weak." 




\ Yeel very welcome 



Aunt Maria Makes a Visit 



163 



"Aunt Maria," whispered Mary Frances, ''I've some 
little friends who know all about sewing, who teach 
me how — but it's a 'dead secret,' and you must never, 
never, never tell — hope you'll die if you do — will you 
promise — skull and cross-bones?" 

''Mercy! Child!" exclaimed the old lady, "what an 
awrful vow! But I'll not tell, and if I give my word — " 

"Oh, I am sure you won't. Aunt Maria, — and — 
some day I'U be able to tell you all about it." 

"Is it a book — like the cooking lessons, — that 
delightful secret? I won't tell." 

"My!" thought Mary Frances. "Wouldn't Sauce 
Pan laugh!" 

"Not exactly like that," said Mary Frances aloud, 
"and I know you'll never-never tell, Aunt Maria, — 
but it's a very- very serious secret, for nobody knows — 
not even Mother." 

"May I see some of your work, my dear?" 

"I'll bring some to show you," she said. ''Excuse 
me, please." 

She stood on the threshold of the sewing room 
a moment before entering. All the Thimble People 
were jumping around in excitement. 




May I 

orvour 
work? 




riy! wouldnt Sai*ce Ran Uu^h 



164 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

''I tell you," tinkled Silver Thimble, ''it's the 
Aunt!" 

"It's not!'^ piped the thinnest little voice Mary- 
Frances had ever heard. 

"Hello!" exclaimed Scissors Shears. "That's little 
Common Ordinary Pin! You don't know! You 
haven't much of a head." 

"Maybe not," answered the thin voice, "but we 
have some fine points." 

"Ha! ha!" laughed Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"And we're not stuck on ourselves!" 

"Ha! ha!" laughed Tommy Pin Cushion again. 

"No," exclaimed Scissors Shears, "you're stuck 
on Tommy Pin Cushion — such taste!" 

Mary Frances went into the room. 

"Oh," said Fairy Lady, "I was afraid you might 
not be alone." 

"Mary Frances!" came Aunt Maria's voice from 
nearby. 

Every Thimble person fell down where he was, 
and in a twinkle Fair Lady became Sewing Bird. 

"I thought I wouldn't trouble you to bring your 
work to me, so I've foUowed you to the sewing room," 




I wa«j d/Y-aid^ou m^hi not be alone* 




17. fur Lined Cape 




27. Rain Coat 






B 




















u 




bet 












S 




tj 




£ 




« 




0. 




o 




3 




P 




f; 



Aunt Maria Makes a Visit 



165 



said the old lady, ''I thought I heard — I'm quite certain 
I heard some one talking." 

''Oh, my!" thought Mary Frances. 

''Goodness!" exclaimed Aunt Maria as they went 
into the room. "Although I oughtn't to say it — what 
an untidy room! My dear child, my dear child, every- 
thing ought to be put in place just as soon as you've 
used it. It never pays to lay anything down out of 
place. Here are needles and pins, scissors and needle- 
book, emery bag, and what not — tumbled over the table, 
and the work basket on its side! You'll learn better, 
though, child." 

There was a strange expression on the little girl's 
face. 

"It's rude, Mary Frances, to smile when you're 
in fault," continued the old lady. 

"Excuse me. Aunt Maria," said Mary Frances. 
"I couldn't help it." 

"Well, I expect it's because you're so glad to see 
me," said Aunt Maria, leaning back in her chair and 
rocking. 

" Never mind, we'll look at your work. Very credit- 
able, very creditable indeed, child! Such excellent 





Work ^Ac^Uei on it^ ^'^^ 



166 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




"Ok 

flunt 

Maria! 



stitches," examining the little samplers, and finally 
the bath robe and kimono. ''You certainly do take 
after me. To think that so spoiled a child should 
develop into such an excellent character! 'Blood will 
tell!' I've often said it— 'Blood will teU!' What 
pretty material! By the way, child, where do you 
get the goods — if this is a secret?" 

"Oh, Aunt Maria, Mother sent me this Httle trunk 
full of these pretty things; and this lovely, lovely doll, 
Mary Marie, to amuse myself with. She said she was 
so sorry not to be able to show me how to sew, and hopes 
to, when she comes home. Dear Mother! Won't 
she be surprised?" 

"Indeed she will," said the old lady, examining the 
contents of the trunk. "But," she sniffed, "I am 
compelled to say less beautiful goods would have 
answered the purpose. When I was a little girl — well, 
never mind ! Have you learned to make button-holes?" 

"I can make the stitch, I think," answered Mary 
Frances, meekly. 

"WeU, I'll teach you, child," said Aunt Maria, 
getting a piece of muslin ready. "Now, let us begin 
to learn how to make 



Ind 



ee 




witl 



Aunt Maria Makes a Visit 



167 



33. — Button-holes 
All button-holes should be worked in a double fold of cloth. 
Use for practice, a piece of muslin six inches long and four inches 
wide. Fold through the center. Turn in and baste along edges. 

(A) To Cut 
With button-hole scissors, cut into the goods one quarter 
of an inch from folded edge. Cut along a thread of the goods to 
make it straight. Make opening a little longer than the button 
is broad. For button-hole, use No. 40 cotton, No. 8 needle. 
Barring and overcasting are often done with a finer thread than 
that used for the button-holing. 

(B) To Bar 

1. Make a small knot in thread. 

2. Put the goods over first finger, left hand — folded edge 
toward you. 

3. At the end of button-hole farthest from folded edge of 
cloth, insert needle between the double cloth, bringing it out at 
A. (See picture.) 

4. Point needle down at B; bring it out at A. 

5. Point needle down at C; bring it out at D. Do this twice. 

6. Point needle down at B; bring it out at A. 

(C) Overcasting 

Overcast the edge on each side and end of the button-hole, 
catching the long ''barring" threads. 




Button -hole 
ScicQors 



A e 






Overcast I nd 



168 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



(D) Button-hole Stitch 

1. With goods over forefinger of left hand, at end of button- 
hole farthest from the folded edge of the cloth, insert needle 
between the muslin; pull through, leaving a small end of thread 
between muslin. 

2. At same corner of button-hole, bring needle half way 
through. Taking both threads hanging from eye of needle between 
thumb and finger of right hand, pass the thread under the point 
of the needle, from right to left. Pull needle through, drawing 
the thread firmly near the button-hole. This forms the purl, 
which is well adapted to the constant wear upon the button-hole. 

3. Repeat until needle is at first stitch taken. 

(E) Finishing 

1. Make barring stitches over the first barring stitches taken. 

2. Put needle through these barring stitches, forming the 
Dutton-Kole blanket or loop stitch, — make several loop stitches and bring 
S**^cK needle to wrong side. 

^ 3. Fasten thread by several small stitches. 

Note. — If thread is too short to finish button-holing, fasten it 
on wrong side of material. Enter the new thread on wrong side and 
bring thread through last button-hole purl, or twisted edge. 

Aunt Maria gave Mary Frances these directions 
very slowly, making the little girl do each step as she 
explained. 





dMsaa 



Rn^hed button -hole 



Aunt Maria Makes a Visit 



169 



'^No, not that way, child," she would say. 
''Sit up straight; place both feet firmly on the floor; 
hold your sewing high; do not stoop over. That is 
the correct position while sewing. Throw the thread 
more carefully. No, not so long a thread — it will 
tangle . Patience — child ! ' ' 

"My," exclaimed Mary Frances, "that's the hardest 
thing I've done yet. Am I very trying to teach?" 

" WeU," said the old lady, "you might be more so — 
but that's a real respectable button-hole. But really, 
child, I must again repeat my lesson to you about 
neatness. Never leave your sewing room as I found it 
to-day." 

"There's Grandma!" exclaimed Mary Frances, 
looking out the window. "Come, Aunt Maria, let's 
go down." 

"Is my necktie straight?" asked the old lady of 
Mary Frances, taking her hand. 




^ 



that^ the 
tKind yet 



"My," said Mary Frances, returning to the sewing 
room, "aren't they the dear old dears, talking 




nee 



kti< 



^tra^l 



\^t?' 



170 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




together! A cup of tea and those two old ladies — 
there's nothing under the sun they can't think of — 
from Noah-and-the-ark to Forever-more! I wonder 
if I can finish Mary Marie's pinafore. I'm going to 
make Angle a lot of clothes like Mary Marie's." 

"WiU the Old Grunt be back?" Scissors Shears 
was looking up at Mary Frances. 

"Who?" asked Mary Frances. 

"The Old Grunt," said Scissors Shears, "fussin' 
and gruntin' over everything. We looked all right. 
She scared us — if we hadn't dropped where we were 
she might have found out about us — and if she'd found 
out about us — we'd been Never-Nevers." 

'You must not call names," said Mary Frances, 
gravely. 

''She is an Old Grunt! So there! It was my work 
to teach you to make button-holes, and I so wanted 
to do it!" burst out Button-hole Scissors, excitedly. 

He spread his funny little legs apart and looked up 
at Mary Frances most forlornly. 

"Rip-her-up-the-back! But.ty," growled Scissors 
Shears. 

"Be quiet!" exclaimed Mary Frances, "I'm 




It 



wa3 my work to teach ^ou 



Aunt Maria Makes a Visit 



171 




ashamed of you both! I know it's an awful disap- 
pointment to you, Button-hole Scissors, but, never 
mind, you shall help me sometime." 
''Magic and Mystery, we must — " 
''Yes," said Fairy Lady, smiling, "we must finish 
the pinafore. Here is 

Pattern 8. — Doll's Pinafore 
See Insert II 
To cut out — 

1. Fold goods lengthwise. Place edge of pattern having two 
rings (go) on this fold. Pin in place. Cut out. 

2. Indicate place for straps and pocket by pricking with a 
pin, through pattern and material. Remove pattern. 

Run a red basting thread through the pinholes. 

3. Cut four straps, and the pocket. 
To make — 

Note. — The pinafore is not joined under the arms; therefore, 

1. Make a narrow hem along the sides of the front and back. 

2. Make a three-quarter inch hem along the bottom of pinafore. 

3. Make a tiny clip in the comers of the neck opening. 
Turn down one-quarter inch along neck on right side. 

4. Baste flat against this, one-half inch wide white linen tape.P^ 
In turning comers, turn the tape completely over. not. j 

5. Ends of sleeves, sides of sleeves, and sides and bottom under Qfm^ 
of pinafore finished in same way. 




TV>e 
not ioinecK 



O 



\urn 



t&pi 



completely 



ovef 



172 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Pocket 

1. Make a quarter-inch hem at top of pocket. 

2. Turn in edges one-eighth inch. Baste. 

3. Pin in place shown on pattern. Hem, or stitch. 



^ 1 



Pin in 
place 



Straps 

1. Turn in edges of straps one-eighth inch all around. 

2. Baste two straps together, wrong sides facing each 
other. 

Overhand, or stitch together. 

4. Pin in place as shown by red basting thread, and sew in 
place through a button. 

Or, a button may be sewed to the pinafore, and a button- 
hole worked in each end of the straps. 

(If this is done, hem a small piece of goods on the wrong side 
of pinafore under the places for the buttons, so that the pulling 
of the button will not tear the goods.) 



"And we'll all help, — if you please." 

"Thank you, dear Thimble People," said Mary 
Frances, spreading the pretty gingham on the sewing 
table. "Work very quickly — I haven't many minutes. 
I'm so tired, anyhow," and she leaned back in her rock- 
ing chair. 




lew 



^tr-ap m place tUrou^h a button 



Aunt Maria Makes a Visit 



173 



"Mary Frances, Mary Frances, Mary Frances, 
dear!" called Grandma's voice. 

"Oh," thought Mary Frances, "I've been asleep. 
It's twilight, nearly." 

"Yes, Grandma," she called. "I'll come right 
down." And she looked on the table expecting to see 
the gingham spread out, but it was nowhere to be 
seen. 

"Look at Mary Marie," whispered Sewing Bird. 

There sat the proud dolly with the gingham pina- 
fore all made and buttoned in place. 

"How, — how?" stammered Mary Frances. 

"We took her over 
To Thimble Land; 
Over to our 
Fairyland," 

explained Sewing Bird. 

" Can I go there some day?" asked Mary Frances. 




I 

tWmW 
you may 



I think you may, 
But not to-day; 




There ^^t x\r\e proud ckpUy 




174 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Perhaps you'll go 
Another day!" 

sang Sewing Bird. 

'^Oh, thank you, you dear!" said Mary Frances. 

''Come, Mary Frances," again called Grandma. 
"Why, dear child," she said, kissing the little girl, 
"it's nearly six o'clock, and we old ladies have been so 
busy living in the past that we almost forgot the present 
— that's you." 




m. 



m learnina to ^ew . whimpered 

[Mjary [Pj ranees 




CjHflPTER XXII 

[g] |r)uined |D)ress> 



(( 



S 



O the Old Grunt had to go home," said Scissors 
Shears, standing on one pointed toe. 
''Why?" asked Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"I don't care a tinkle," exclaimed Silver Thimble, 
''why she went — I'm only glad we're to have the little 
Miss to ourselves once more!" 

"Humph!" exclaimed Ma Chine, "if Sewing Bird 
were awake, little you'd speak in so cutting a way 
about an old lady, Scissors!" 

"Click! CHck! Chckety-click! Rip-her-up-the- 
back!" snapped Scissors Shears, making across the table. 

"You old Thread Chewer, you!" he exclaimed, 
"everybody knows you have wheels in your head! 
You old Thread Chewer! You — ! You! I double 
dare you to — " 

"Zunmi! Zumm! Zumm!" Ma Chine began to whirl. 

"Oh, what are the comical things going to do,'* 
thought Mary Frances at the door. "I do hope no 
harm will be done! I'll wait a minute and see." 

f 175 ] 





'\ dont 
tingle" 



If* Sewitv^ Bird were <iw^U< 



176 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Suddenly Scissors Shears stumbled and fell flat 
on the table, his feet being all entangled in the folds of 
some pink lawn. 

''Zumm! Zumm!" whirled Ma Chine. '^Why 
don't you come? Come on, Sweet-tempered!" 

''Oh, my!" moaned Scissors Shears. "Oh, me! 
I'm almost undone!" 

''Undone!" exclaimed Sewing Bird. "I think 
you're done-up, — 

^'Oh, how it shames 
To call bad names! 
And temper lost 
Makes heavy cost!" 

"Sewing Bird, that's true!" exclaimed Scissors 
Shears, getting up, "Oh, the dear little Miss! Oh, what 
a lesson! I'm so sorry I lost my temper!" 

"What can he have done?" thought Mary Frances, 
peeping in the door. 

There on the sewing table was Scissors Shears 
looking woefully upon a pretty little doll's dress care- 
fully cut out and pinned together. All over it were 




(\\\ over it 



viere ^^g c^Ue ^ 



A Ruined Dress 



177 



gashes and slashes where his sharp feet had cut into 
the material. 

"What shall I do/' began Scissors Shears, ''oh, 
Sewing Bird, what shall I do? — There's no other goods! 
I took such care to make that so perfect, — ready for 
the Httle lady's lesson to-day!" 

''Come!" said Mary Frances to herself. "That's 
enough! Poor old Scissors Shears! — I'll pretend not to 
notice it. 

Good-afternoon!" she said going into the sewing 
room, "I've changed my mind, dear Sewing Bird 
Lady — I think I'd like to use some other goods rather 
than that I left on the table for this lesson. I'll just 
throw this aside in a little bundle," — pushing the ruined 
dress aside, — "and may I use this pretty pink cham- 
bray gingham to-day?" 

"The very thing!" exclaimed Fairy Lady, "much 
better than lawn, for a morning dress; and here is 

Pattern 9. — Doll's Morning Dress 
See Insert II 

1. Cut out in same way as pinafore. 

2. For neck-band, use a six-inch square of white lawn. 




'Qood 
dAernoorj 






au 




Tne very thi nd^ 



178 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



mafKed * 
eacn on 

a f£>ld 



Fold through the center. Fold again through the center. 

3. Place neck-band pattern on the lawn, having the edges 
which are marked with two rings (oo) each on a fold. 

4. Pin in place. Cut out. Open. Make tiny clip in each 
comer of the neck opening. 

5. Cut sleeve-bands of white lawn, with double rings (oo) 
on fold of cloth. 

To make — 

1. Turn over opening of neck of dress one-eighth inch on 
right side. Crease, without stretching. Baste. 

2. Turn both edges of neck-band down one-eighth inch, on 
same side of goods. Crease, without stretching. 

3. Spread the dress open on the table. 

Lay neck-band with turned-in edge against tumed-in edge of 
dress neck. Pin in place. Baste. 

Stitch; or, overhand and hem, in place. 

4. Turn up ends of sleeves, and sew sleeve-bands in place in 
the same way. 

5. Make placket by directions given on next page. 

Make three button-holes on right hand side. Sew three but- 
tons on left hand side. 

6. Join under-arms with French seams. 

7. Make a three-quarter inch hem in bottom of dress. 



"I'll cut that out quickly," said Mary Frances, 
pinning the pattern on the goods. 




Pin necU-bandi in place 



A Ruined Dress 



179 



''Mark the place where the pocket goes," said Fairy 
Lady. 

"Why," she exclaimed at length, holding up the 
little dress, ''the back is just Mke the front, and the 
neck is too Httle for her head to slip through." 

"Exactly!" smiled Fairy Lady looking pleased. 
"You are very observant." 

"That's a lovely word!" thought Mary Frances. 
"I'll remember it." 

"You may now fold the dress lengthwise, and from 
the neck, cut down the middle of the back four inches, 
which will make the opening large enough for her head 
— and learn about 

34.— Making a Placket, 
which is the finished opening of a dress or skirt. 

1. Cut one piece of cloth like the dress — two inches wide, 
and as long as the dress opening. 

2. Cut another piece one inch wide and as long as the opening. 
Fold in half the long way, and crease. 

3. On the right hand side of the opening, face the raw edge 
back on the -svrong side with the narrow piece of cloth. 

4. On the left hand side, sew the wider piece of cloth, as if 
for facing, — but after turning in the edge, fold on the creased middle 
fold, bringing edge exactly over the first sewing. 




bacU 13 
the /root 




Extension PUcket 



180 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



This is an Extension Placket. 

This piece can be used without folding: then the edge must 
be hemmed. 

There should be two rows of stitching across the bottom of the 
placket to strengthen it 




On this page are pictures of two other kinds of placket. 

To make a Hemmed Placket, sew a narrow hem on left side, 
and broad hem on right hand side. Fold broad hem over narrow, 
and stitch in place across lower end. 

A Tape Placket is very useful in making petticoats. Face 
the opening with jSat tape. 



Fairy Lady handed Mary Frances a sheet of 
paper. 

\'' Where did this come from?" asked Mary Frances. 
'' It's a fairy paper," answered Fairy Lady. ''That's 
aUIcanteU." 
Lj k 'It is beautiful!" said Mary Frances, holding the 

pi • picture of the plackets in her hand, "Thank you." 

"Can you tell me what to do next?" asked Fairy 
Lady. 

"Yes," answered Mary Frances, "I must work 
in this order in making my dolly's dresses : 




^' 



Tape PlacUet 



lape folded 




l8./l/ternoon Dre 



e55 




20.RrtyD.-e5Cj(see INStRT lO) 



A Ruined Dress 



181 



1. Basting of seams. 

2. Fitting. 

3. Altering, if necessary. 

4. Sewing seams. 

5. Facing the neck with the fitted facing. — Bastethat on wrong 
side; then tm-n to the right side; turn in, and hem down. 

6. Facings on the sleeves in same way. 

7. Pocket hemmed at top. Tm:ned in, and basted in place; 
stitched in place. 

8. Buttons and button-holes. 

''That's your week's work/' said Fairy Lady, ''if 
you finish it for the next lesson, I'll be so proud." 

"And so Tvill I!" laughed Mary Frances, resolving 
to work hard. '^Good-day, dear Thimble People." 



"I'll help her if I dare," said Scissors Shears. 
"What could you do, now?" asked Tommy Pin 
Cushion. "You're in disgrace!" 

"He could only undo," said Needle Book. 
"That will do!" said Sewing Bird. 








love 



ElHdPTERXXllI 



(XlHe (f)LrtNNCL IPJCT 



(( 



D 




ON'T you want to go with Grandma to-day?" 
asked her grandmother of] Mary Frances. 
"Where, Nanny?" inquired the Uttle 
girl. 

''Well," said Grandma, "I'm going to take a trolley 
ride through the park." 

"Where the monkeys are?" inquired Mary Frances. 

"Yes," said Grandma. "I thought you'd like to 
share my 'afternoon out.' " 

"I dearly love monkeys," said Mary Frances. 
"They crinkle up their faces so!" 

"Come, then," said Grandma, "get your hat!" 

Mary Frances ran up-stairs. This is what she 
heard : 

"I do hope the little lady will have it finished!" 

"What does she make to-day?" 

"The flannel pet—" 

"Oh, good!" 

[182] 




V/Uere tVie 



mom 



^£X3 



are 



The Flannel Pet 



183 



''That's Silver Thimble," thought Mary Frances. 

''Why do you say 'Oh, good'?" asked Scissors 
Shears. 

"Because,'^ answered Silver Thimble, *'I know 
what fun she'll have. I feel closer to my Httle Miss 
than any of you others can." 

"Ha!" laughed Tommy Pin Cushion, "but not 
love her better." 

"The dear things!" thought Mary Frances, "and 
I was going to run away! What can a flannel pet be? 
Is it a flannel cat, or rabbit, or dog?" 

"Mary Frances!" called Grandma. 

"Listen, Nanny," said the little girl leaning over 
the banister, "will you feel much disappointed, dear 
Nanny, if I don't go? I— I—" 

"Why, no, my child!" said Grandma. Mrs. Ben- 
nett is going with me, so I'll have company, but I 
thought you'd be lonely. Good-bye, dear, — take a 
nap if you feel Hke it." 

"Good-bye, Nanny dear," smiled Mary Frances, 
throwing the old lady a kiss. "She reaUy does spoil 
me, I fear," she thought. "I never had my own way 
so exactly before." 




S 



'OU. 

poa'. 




Qood^bye, Nannie dear 



184 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Mar 



She dressed Mary Marie in the new morning dress. 
''I certainly wish she had some petticoats," thought 
the little girl, taking her into the sewing room. 

''Oh, what fun! 
I see it's done! 
Quite in distress, 
Without this dress. 
Would be, you see. 
Our Sweet Marie," 

sang Sewing Bird, admiring the morning dress. 

"But the button-holes," said Mary Frances, ''are 
pretty poor, I must say!" 

"That's because the Old Grunt taught you — " 
began Scissors Shears. 

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Mary Frances. 

"I forgot! I forgot!" said Scissors Shears. "I did, 
really and truly! your Seamstress-ship. Will you 
please forgive me?" 



"Scissors and Shears 
Now, change your ears," 




I wicjh ^Ue had ^on\e petticoat^' 



The Flannel Pet 



185 



laughed Mary Frances, and the funny httle long- 
eared fellow was on the table. 

''I'm sure I'll not be able to use you to-day," said 
Mary Frances, "with those ears." 

"You tell me what to do," said Scissors Shears, 
wagging his ears back and forward. "I like my ears. 
They do not help me work — but I can hear almost 
anything with them. I can hear what Tommy Pin 
Cushion is thinking." 

"Goodness!" exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion. "You 
must be most unhappy!" 

Mary Frances laughed. 

"What is to-day's lesson?" she asked. 

Sewing Bird began to sing: 

"I see you haven't guessed it yet — 
It's just a little flannel pet. 
A period after pet. you'll note; 
It's short for flannel petticoat. 

Oh, de de dum dum! 

De-dee-dee! 

No one could guess it — 

That I see." 




lOO 



do 



e!>!> 



! You 



mu 



i!> 



.t bi 



mo 



15* 



unl 



PPJ/ 



186 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




''Oh, Magic and Mystery," laughed Mary Frances, 
"Mary Marie will be dehghted! She seems so chilly 
these days. I think she will soon be able to say a few 
words. I tried to think she said 'Ma-ma' to me to- 
day." 

"It is lovely to help make things for so sweet a 
child," smiled Fairy Lady. 

"That is a great compliment," said Mary Frances, 
"to her mother." 

"It isn't only her lovely face," said Fairy Lady; 
"it's her charming manners." 

"Oh, thank you!" said Mary Frances, "to a mother 
who tries to teach the best to her child, that is most 
pleasing to hear." 

"There is even more in seeing her mother's manner 
than in teaching her, I think," said Fairy Lady. 

Mary Frances blushed with pleasure. 

"And now," said Fairy Lady, "ready for 

Pattern 10. — Doll's Flannel Petticoat 

Suggestions for material, — white woolen flannel. 
1. Make a pattern of ordinary wrapping paper. 
Use a ruler, making the pattern nine and one-half inches 
long, and five inches wide. 




Use a ruler 



The Flannel Pet 



187 



2. Mark with two rings (oo) and an arrow ( »» > ) as in 
picture. 
To cut out — 

1. Place end of pattern having two rings, on a lengthwise 
fold of material. Pin in place. Cut out. 
To make — 

(A) Leave one and one-half inches of the seam unsewed, for 
making of placket. 

Below this, join seam by 

35. — Felling on Flannel 

A fell is a seam hemmed down to prevent edges from raveling. 

Note. — To learn to make a fell, use two pieces of flannel, 
each six inches long, and three inches wide. Practise with these, 
before attempting the fell on the petticoat. 

1. Place the pieces of flannel together, one edge extending 
one-eighth of an inch beyond the other. 

2. Baste a narrow seam. Stitch. 

3. Remove the bastings. 

4. Turn to other side of goods. With a warm iron, press the 
seam with wider side covering the narrower. Do not open it. 

In felling flannel, do not turn the wider part of the seam in, 
but leave it open, and baste dowTi flat after pressing. 
Catch-stitch it down instead of hemming. 

(B) Make a Hemmed Placket. 

Do not turn flannel twice; but, after pressing, catch-stitch 
down over the raw edges. 



I 



on 




To cut "flannel petticoat pattern 



188 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




(C) To Hem Petticoat. 

1. Turn up one-quarter inch on wrong side, at bottom of skirt. 
Baste, and press. 

Remove bastings. 

2. Turn up again on wrong side, three-quarters of an inch, 
measuring and basting carefully. Press. 

3. Feather-stitch in place along top of hem. 
Remove bastings. 

(D) Gather the top of petticoat. 

1. Cut a notch in the middle of the front of petticoat. 

2. Thread needle with No. 40 cotton. Use cotton double. 
Gather petticoat at top, commencing at notch, gather first 

in one direction, then in the other. 

3. Leave knots in each end of the threads. 

Make thread a little shorter than the length of the flannel. 
Note. — This petticoat is not to be sewed to a band; but is 
attached later, to Doll's Underwaist. 



Feather 

^titcU 

henn 



Mary Frances had the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to- 
Try in her hand, and soon finished the petticoat. 
''Good!" exclaimed Fairy Lady. ''Now comes 



Pattern 11. — Doll's Underwaist 

See Insert III 
To cut out — 

1. Pin pattern with arrow edge on a lengthwise fold of lawn. 




Pin on len^thwi^e fold of lawn 



The Flannel Pet 



189 



2. Cut two underwaists just alike. 

3. Clip a small notch (V) in the exact center of the bottom 
of each waist. 

To make — 

1. Baste the shoulder seams of one waist together, (a to a; 
and 6 to 6.) 

Try on doll. 
Alter if necessary. 

2. Stitch one-quarter inch from the edge. 
Open and flatten the seams. 

3. Turn in edges along the back one-quarter inch. Baste. 
Turn up bottom of waist one-quarter inch. Baste. 

4. Clip several small gashes along the neck. 

Turn in the edge of neck one-eighth of an inch. Baste. 
Do the same to the armholes. 

5. Do the same to the other waist. 

6. Pin and baste the two waists together, wrong sides facing 
each other. Overhand (or stitch) all edges together, except the 
bottom, which is left open for the flannel petticoat. 

7. To join flannel petticoat to underwaist — Insert gathers 
of petticoat between the two waists. Pin notches together, and 
baste in place. Hem down. 

8. Sew three buttons on left side of back of waist: one at 
the neck, one in the center, one at the bottom. Make the button- 
holes on the other side of back of waist. 

9. Sew one button at center front of waist, to fasten the 
lawn petticoat. 





Overhand all ed|ge<^ todethev 



190 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



''Scissors Shears, do your best," whispered Mary 
Frances, cutting into the muslin for the dolly's under- 
waist. 

She felt Scissors Shears spring in her fingers. 

''And now, not a word until it is finished!" • 

"What darhngs!" she exclaimed, finally, holding 
up the little underwaist and flannel petticoat. 

"Are they finished?" asked Fairy Lady, leaning 
forward in her rocking chair. 

"Yes, all finished! If it hadn't been for the Needle- 
of-Don't-Have-to-Try, I'd have been a week doing 
them, I'm sure," said Mary Frances. 

''I'll put them right on Mary Marie," she added, 
''she seems so cold." 

"How must it be. 
How must it be. 
To be beloved 
As well as she?" 

sang Sewing Bird. 

"You are, dear Sewing Bird," said Mary Frances. 
J "Oh, dear little Sewing Bird, indeed, you are!" 



ood!' exclmmeci [rl^'^y ID^V 




ElttflPTER XXIV 



Hhe (w1mit£ is 



ET 



"W 



E'RE not through yet,- 
There's the white pet. 
Let's not forget — " 



''Oh, I know what the white pet is, Sewing Bird," 
interrupted Emery Bag. ''It's a white mouse! One 
of my uncles had a whole side eaten out of him by one 
of those sweet pets. I won't forget!" 

"Oh, my! oh, me! 
Let that be wrote, 
A mouse is not 
A petticoat!" 

sang Sewing Bird. 

"Oh, you simple thing!" exclaimed Emery Bag. 
"Why didn't you say 'petticoat,' then?" 

[191] 





•Sa ho 
Oev/inO 



One of" my uncle^ kad a ^ide eat«n out' 



192 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



''If I take time 
To make a rhyme, 

A rhyme it then must be: 
If words won't rhyme 
At any time — 

I cut them short, you see," 

sang Sewing Bird. 
Then Emery Bag: 

''If that is true 
Then this will do: 
To Sewing Bird 
Any old word 
Will make a rhyme, 
If shortened hyme. 
if thax 

toy true Isn't that beautiful?" 

ifhen this ''What does 'hyme' mean?" cried Sewing Bird. 
will <lo* "^ haven't made up my mind, yet, what it means," 

said Emery Bag. " Sewing Bird, you've got an awfully 

swelled head since — " 

"Nobody without a heart of steel would dare say 





V/^at «ioe^ '[yyn\G* rr\ 



ean 



?" 



The White Pet 



193 



such things to Sewing Bird. Isn't he brave?" whis- 
pered Tommy Pin Cushion. 

'A Brave's an Indian. I'm not an Indian!" 
retorted Emery Bag. 

" Ready to fight any one !" said Tommy Pin Cushion. 

''Reddy yourself!" exclaimed Emery Bag. 

''Here!" exclaimed Scissors Shears. ''Here is some 
muslin on the table. I'll cut out the white pet, — 
petty, — petticoat! That's parsed now, I guess!" 

"It's not fit!" rephed Emery Bag. 

"It's not fight, you mean," interrupted Scissors 
Shears. 

"It's not fitted, you mean," exclaimed Tommy 
Pin Cushion. 

"It's not fit! I tell you!" again exclaimed Emery 
Bag. ^. 

"Well, Red-in-the-face— , Brave," interrupted Scis- ^our^ert! 
sors Shears, "what's not fit?" 

"It's all in the fit," sullenly muttered Emery Bag. 

"How do you know?" exclaimed Tommy Pin 
Cushion. "Did you ever have a fit?" 

"Of course, I have! Whenever I have my cover 
on! 




"Redd 



3 ay 




"Ready to "^^kit ^nyone' 



194 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Emery Ba6 



''Come what, come will, 

Then, this is it: 
It is not fit 

To fit a fit; 
If a fit fits you 

And you fit a fit, 
Put it on 

As you would a mit: 
Some say fight. 

But I say fit; 
If you want to make sure. 

Come try it! 
And this is double trouble — " 

sang Emery Bag, bowing. 

Everybody looked puzzled. 

'^It's plain he's in a fit," exclaimed Scissors Shears. 
^'Rip-him-up-the-back! — If I don't get to work, there'll 
be no petticoat to fit on Mary Marie," and he dived 
into the muslin. 

''Where's the pattern?" he asked, looking up. 
''Oh, Where's the pattern. Sewing Bird?" 

Then Sewing Bird began : 




v#oe 



•OK. 

Oh, woe t'c^ me 




2U <Co2lt (FRON-ri 




ai. Coiit (b/\cw) 



The White Pet 



195 



'Oh, woe, alas! 

Oh, woe is me ! 
Whenever they quarrel so, 

Can't you see — 
Without this petty history — 

No pattern is for you or me, 
Without 'Magic and Mystery!' 

Oh, woe! and more alases!" 



"Magic and Mystery!" exclaimed Mary Frances 
standing in the doorway. 

All the other Thimble People pretended to be 
asleep. 

''Thank you, my dear!" exclaimed Sewing Bird 
Fairy Lady. "When they quarrel so, I cannot change 
from Sewing Bird into Fairy Lady without help, — 
but now," — she added happily, "here is 




Pattern 12. — Doll's Lawn Petticoat 

1. Cut a pattern of ordinary wrapping paper, making it 
twelve inches long, and five and one-half inches wide. 

2. Mark on one end, two rings (oo) and an arrow ( »> > ). 

3. To mark tuck — 



* Maoic 
and 




ihanVt^^_^ou , rny dear!' 



196 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



At one end, measure up two and one-half inches from bot- 
tom of pattern. Mark with a dot. Do same at other end. 

Join these marks with a straight Hne. 

Write along this line the word — tuck. 

One-quarter inch above this line, draw dotted line. 

One-quarter inch below tuck line, draw dotted line. 
To cut out — 

1. Pin arrow end of pattern on a lengthwise fold of white 
dimity or lawn. Cut out. 

2. Marking tuck. — With a large pin, prick through pattern 
and lawn, along the tucking lines, making holes about half an inch 
apart; or, mark lines with a tracing wheel against a ruler. 

3. Cut Band for Petticoat by Pattern 11. 
See Insert III. 

To make — 

1. Join ends of petticoat with felled seam, making seam but 
three inche? long, leaving it open above that, in order to make 
a placket. 

^ . 2. In making a placket, use one-quarter of an inch hem on left 

iractnd hand side, and one-half an inch hem on right hand side. Fold 
wKeei broad hem over narrow; secure at lower end with two rows of 
stitching. 

3. Make the tuck. 




holes. 



36. — Making Tucks 
(a) Crease material back along the middle row of pin- 



XW>CK 



^ rn«irU tucU 



The White Pet 



197 



(6) Stitch tuck on upper side, sewing through the other rows 
of pinholes. 

Note. — In making several tucks, mark in the same way, and 
proceed in a like manner; but remember to cut the material 
sufficiently long to allow for the making. 

4. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom of petticoat. 

5. Gather top in same way as flannel petticoat. 

6. Set the gathers into petticoat band, as in making the 
little "tie around" apron. 

(See 21. — Setting Gathers in Band.) 

7. Make button-holes in band : one in center front, cutting it 
across the band; and one in each end of band, cutting it in 
the direction of the length of the band. 

8. Overhand half-inch lace edging to the hem. A half yard 
of edging will be needed. 

'^And I'm going to shut my eyes and go to sleep 
while you do it," said Fairy Lady, leaning back in the OverKand 
rockine chair. i 

She looked so beautiful, Mary Frances would have 
liked to kiss her — then just to sit still, and look at her; hem 

but she thought, 

''When she is so dear and kind, and when all the 
Thimble People want to help me so much, I ought 
not to loiter." 




u — 






M&Ue buiton-KoleQ m band 



198 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



"I'm here!" said a little tiny voice, and, to be sure, 
it was Silver Thimble. 

"And I!"— it was Needle Book. 

"And I!" — Scissors Shears. 

"And will you all help?" asked Mary Frances. 
"I'm so glad! — and then I'U have to do only the new 
lesson?" 

"Only the new, — and here's the Needle-of-Don't- 
Have-to-Try," said Needle Book. 

"Why, everything's nearly done!" exclaimed the 
little girl in a few minutes. "What wonderful people 
the Thimble People are!" 

"And now," smiled Fairy Lady, "ready for 

Pattern 13. — Doll's Drawers 
See Insert IV 

"I'm here!' ^^ ^^* °."*~ 

c^'A >k ^' ^^^ arrow edge of pattern to lengthwise fold of goods, 

O I . clipping notches carefully. 

Hltle ^tny 2. Remove pattern, and cut another leg just like this 

voice one. 

3. Cut band by pattern of petticoat band. 
To make — 
• 1. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom of each piece. 




\ih/'/^^. 




v\\\ 

/ \ \ ^ 
■Here3 *^e Needle or-dont-Have-to-T^y 



The White Pet 



199 



2. Make French seams, or a fell, from bottom of each piece 
to notch. 

3. Make one-eighth inch hem from notch on each side, to top. 

4. Gather each piece at top. 

5. Pin the end of one narrow hem to double notch (VV) in 
top of other piece. 

6. Pin the center of the then-double material to the center of 
the band, spreading the fullness of the gathers to the hips and 
back only — no fullness in front. 

7. Make button-hole in right hand end of band. 
Sew button on other end. 

Note. — If trimming is desired, — cut two ruffles, each five 
inches long, and one and one-half inches wide; and learn to make 

37. — Whipped Ruffle 

1. Hem the lower edge of ruffles, and overhand lace on the hem. 

2. Roll the upper edge of the muslin to the right side of 
goods, as you have rolled paper edges. Do not fold it. Prac- 
tice rolling paper if the muslin seems difficult to manage. 

3. With a No. 6 needle, and No. 40 cotton, overcast the rolled 
edge, taking the stitches no deeper than the roll. 

4. Draw ruffle up to size needed, 

5. Fell the two ends of each ruffle together; and overhand 
the ruffles to the legs of the drawers, sewing into each "whip- 
ping" or overcasting stitch as nearly as possible. 

Note. — Fine goods whip more easily than coarse. 




Whippedi 
ruffle 






7 



n 




f\»t into band 




200 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Mary Frances looked at Fairy Lady. 
"She's sound asleep," she thought, 
surprise her!" 



Won't I 



''What, all finished?" laughed Fairy Lady. 

"Where were you, dear Fairy Lady?" asked Mary 
Frances. 

"I was here — and tapes and tapes away; — away — 
away — away in Fairy Thimble Land." 




SVic ^S ^ ounci ac^leep , — won't 



0HdPTER XXV 



(\fi THE [PJotLY iXlft*-*^ 



6i 



s 



AY, are you a really-person? Say, I say, are 
you real? You look so swell and so beauti- 
ful, — can you talk? — say, can you? I wonder 
if I can touch you, you pretty Mary Marie." 
Scissors Shears took a step nearer the doll. 
^'My, I wish you could talk! I'd like you to hold 
this muslin for me while I cut out your rompers. 
What! You won't talk? You just sit looking at 
me — Stupid! You must think I want something to 
do! Humph! I wouldn't be a doll, no! 

''I wouldn't be a dolly, a dolly, a dolly! 
I'd rather be a polly, a polly, a polly! 
For a dolly can't talk. 
And a polly can talk; 
And a dolly can't walk, 
And a polly can walk; 
I wouldn't be a dolly, a dolly, a dolly! 
I'd rather be a polly, a polly, a polly. ^^ 

[201] J 





*You '|V3* v3*^ JooUincL fii tne — feiupid** 



202 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



'' 'Pretty Poll!' she can say— 'Pretty Doll!'— try it! 
Say, please try it, Mary Marie! Try it! I say! Doll, 
try it! If you don't, you'll be sorry! Say 'Pretty 
Doll!' say it! I say; or, — I'11-cut-your-acquaintance; 
— then what '11 you do? 




"pretty 



"You won't get your rompers — maybe; 



"You won't get your bloomers — ^maybe; 



"You won't get your pajompers — maybe. 



"Oh, you make me tired, you pretty, proud, sweet, 
lovely-looking thing! Speak, I say, speak! Say 
'Bow-wow-wow!' if you can't talk, or even say 'Meow!' 



"I'll give it up, I guess. My, I should think she'd 
be ashamed not to thank us at all for her fine clothes." 




n 



e£i«,e 



try it , Mary MsirM 



Can the Dolly Talk 



203 



"Oh, she's only a baby!" said Tommy Pin Cushion. 
''Babies can't talk!" 

"Humph, I s'pose you know, 'cause you're a cry- 
baby!" exclaimed Scissors Shears. 

"I'm not a cry-baby!" exclaimed Tommy Pin 
Cushion. 

"Yo' are! Yo' are!" cried Scissors Shears. "I 
can prove it!" 

"I'm not! Am I, Sewing Bird, — am I?" asked 
Tommy Pin Cushion, the tears roUing down his fat 
red cheeks. 

"If you could see yourself, you'd know you are I" 
snapped Scissors Shears. 

"Look out there, don't fall!" cried Yard Stick, 
seeing Scissors Shears toppling dangerously on the 
table edge. 

"Oh, look out yourself," snapped Scissors Shears, 
"you're just as likely to — " 

"I always stand firmly on my three feet," retorted 
Yard Stick. 

"It takes a whole yard to hold them — ha-ha!" 
laughed Scissors Shears. 

Then interrupted Sewing Bird, singing: 




v 



m not a c»-y-baby'. 



204 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




vome 
come! 
You're 
^^\\ in 



"Come, come! 

You're all in fun — 

So why get mad, 

And make all sad? 
The little Miss may hear — 
So,- Tommy, dry up every tear. 
And, Thimble, sheath your little spear, 
And, Scissors, don't you act so queer. 
Or else your Mistress may appear." 

Just at that moment in stepped Mary Frances, 
who had heard every word. The Thimble People 
looked silly; but she pretended not to notice. 

"Oh, my dear Magic and Mystery," she said, 
"to-day I had another letter from my mother, and 
she says: 

" Terhaps you can try to learn a few stitches from 
the patterns I send you by mail, and you can send 
me the samplers you make. They will be Sewing 
Lessons by Mail, and we'll pretend you are taking a 
Correspondence Course.' 

'Oh, Sewing Bird Fairy Lady, — if it doesn't seem 
a trifle dis-re-spect-a-ble, — I mean dis-re-spect-ful. 



"S 



ew 




ail 



Can the Dolly Talk 



205 



— my mother's stitches aren't as nice as mine! 
Look!" 

Mary Frances held up the sampler. 

"I want to know what is the right thing to do, 
Fairy Lady, I would love to surprise my dear mother 
when I get home; and yet I don't want to deceive 
her by not telling her that I know something about 
sewing. What shall I do?" 

Fairy Lady smiled thoughtfully. "You might tell 
her you have a little friend who — " 

"Excuse me — friends!" corrected Silver Thimble. 

" 'Friends,' " repeated Fairy Lady, "who taught 
you a little about sewing. It would make your mother 
happy, I should think." 

"Yes!" nodded Mary Frances. "Of course, that's 
right! And I will feel much nearer to my mother 
then, and can tell her some day. Do you know, 
Sewing Bird Fairy Lady — I would, — even as much 
as I love my dear Grandma, — I would be ex-ceed- 
ing-ly lonely without my Thimble People." 

''Lottie, who lives across the street," she went on, 
"is lots of fun. I want to teach her to sew some day 
— may I, Fairy Lady?" 




Fairy L^^ 




' Uoitie 



^ 



loi 



►/ ru 



206 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

''Oh, to be sure," said Fairy Lady, ''after you have 
finished with us." 

"But I don't want you to be Never-Nevers!" said 
Mary Frances. 

"Perhaps there'll be a way," suggested Fairy Lady. 

"How delightful!" exclaimed Mary Frances. "Oh, 
I want to show you the pillow cover I bought to-day 
for Billy." 

"How lovely!" exclaimed Scissors Shears, Silver 
Thimble, Needle Book, Tommy Pin Cushion, and 
Emery Bag, all at once. 

"Yes, isn't it? Let me read you his letter:" 

Woodcraft Camp. 
Dear Mary Frances: 

Glad to hear Grandmother is well. Say, I wish you 
knew how to sew! Some of the fellows have the swellest 
sofa pillows on their cots. May-he youHl learn some 
y day. Mother wrote me about the lessons she wants to 

give you by mail. It's a rattling good idea. (7 crossed 
out ''rattling" because we're not encouraged to use slang.) 
See you in September. So long! 

Good-bye, Billy. 




Tor 
B.1I 




' H ow d © Jjri htili I \ 



Can the Dolly Talk 



207 



"So you see, Fairy Lady, it is almost absolutely 
necessary for me to learn to sew." 

"On buttons," said Needle Book. 

Mary Frances laughed. "Yes, that was a neces- 
sity, and I suppose the pillow is a luxury, but I am so 
pleased that I can make it. See, it has a flag to be 
worked in red, white, and blue." 

"How—?" began Needle Book. 

"Why, same as I did the kittens on the doll's 
apron," said Mary Frances. 

"Of course!" smiled the Fairy Lady. 

"And you don't need help with it! 
fine! The sooner we finish the lesson, - 
Scissors Shears. 

' ' Hush ! ' ' said Fairy Lady, holding up her bodkin wand. 

Scissors Shears feU down. "Excuse me!'' he 
exclaimed. 

"Oh, yes," said Mary Frances. "What is to-day's 
lesson, please? I'm wasting time!" 

"Well," smiled Fairy Lady, "it doesn't matter so 
much now, — for the King of Thimble Land sent you 
this package, saying to read the instructions and to 
ask me any questions you wish at next lesson, if you 



Isn't that 
— " began 




Hov/— ? 

Needle 
BooW 




Exc uG^e fr* e / 



208 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Th« metot 

Bird "-^ 



do not understand — and he will give you the greatest 
honor ever bestowed upon a little girl — he will — " 

''Lend you — even when not in lessons — the Needle- 
of-Don't-Have-to-Try," finished Needle Book, bowing 
before Mary Frances. 

"Oh, please bear to His Majesty my gratefulest 
gratitude!" said Mary Frances, wondering if that 
were the right way to send a message to a King. 

''Oh, my goodness!" screamed Fairy Lady, turning 
almost white. "There's a cat!" And she immediately 
changed into the metal sewing bird on the edge of the 
table. 

"It's only Jubey!" laughed Mary Frances, "Aunt 
Maria sent her to me for fear I'd be lonely. I'll never 
let you come here again, Jubey,'' she said, picking up 
the kitten. 

Then she opened the package from the King of 
Thimble Land, and this is what she found: 

Pattern 14. — Doll's Rompers 

See Insert IV 
To cut out — 

1. Fold goods crosswise. Lay pattern with edge having 
two rings (oo) on the fold. 




1"*^ ^"J^y ^JubeyV 



Can the Dolly Talk 



209 



2. Pin in place. Cut out. 

3. With a large pin, prick through the rows of pinholes marked 
FRONT. Or use a tracing wheel. 

4. Remove pattern. — Spread the rompers open on a table. 
Cut one end of rompers off, along the rows of pinholes. 

To cut Neck Band — 

Cut a piece of white lawn ten inches long and five inches wide. 

5. Fold lawn crosswise. 

6. Fold lawn lengthwise. Pin. 

7. Place pattern with both the edges having double rings 
(go) on folded edges of lawn. 

Pin in place. Cut out. 

To cut Belt- 
Cut a piece of lawn fourteen inches long, and four inches 

wide. Fold lengthwise, and crosswise. 

8. Pin pattern with both edges having double rings (oo) on 
a fold of lawn. Cut out. 

9. Cut sleeve-band with double rings on crosswise fold of 
lawn. 

To make — 

1. Turn in both edges of the neck-band one-eighth inch. 
Baste. 

2. Lay rompers fiat upon table, and pin and sew neck-band 
in place in the same way as in Morning Dress. 

3. Fold rompers lengthwise. From the neck, cut a placket 
down the fold five inches. Be certain to cut placket in the hack of 
the rompers. The back is longer from the neck line than the front. 




CATOS^M^/^e. 



'^ 




Run ela^iic m the hem 



210 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




To moUe 
Belt 



4. Make placket as in Morning Dress. Fasten with buttons 
and button-holes. 

5. Join rompers under arms with French seam. 

6. Join curved edges with French seam. 

7. Make a half-inch hem at end of each leg. Leave the hem 
open one-half inch at the top. Through this opening run a narrow 
elastic. After joining ends of elastic, finish the hemming. 

8. If desired, cut a pocket by the pattern of the pinafore- 
pocket. (See Insert II.) 

Sew in place on left side of rompers in position shown by 
dotted lines on pattern. 

9. To Make Belt. — Clip a tiny gash between the two 
points at each end of belt. Turn in outer edges of belt one- 
quarter inch. 

Fold belt in half lengthwise. Stitch or overhand the edges. 
Make button -hole in one end. Sew button on the other end. 

Sew belt in place in middle of back of rompers — as shown on 
pattern. Sew to the button-hole side of rompers. 

Pattern 15. — Doll's Bloomers 
See Insert III 

1. Cut by pattern of rompers, — jnaking only as long as the line 
marked bloomers. 

2. Make in same way as rompers. 

3. Make a half-inch hem in the top. Run elastic in the hem 
and fasten off in same way as ends of legs of rompers. 




TacU ^vv*ap undor 





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Can the Dolly Talk 



211 



Pattern 16. — Doll's Leggings 
See Insert IX 

Note. — Make leggings of old kid gloves. 

1. Cut two of each piece of pattern No. 16. 
Pin three pieces not alike together. 

2. Baste the three pieces not ahke, together, matching two 
single notches, and two double notches, making top and bottom of 
legging even. 

3. Stitch in a plain seam. 

Sew little "shank" buttons on one side, and cut button-holes 
in the other side, as indicated on pattern. 

Do not attempt to work button-holes in kid. 

4. Turn strap under and 'Hack" (sew with several stitches 
over and over each other) in place on wrong side of opposite 
piece, as indicated in pattern. 

Note. — Always baste with right sides facing each other, in 
making the leggings. 

Yours for happy stitches, 

His Nibs, 
King of Fairy Thimble Land. 

The little girl made everything the King sent. 







>M 2 




[ m 


"^^9 ^^:^^>^JA 






l^S _^^^^^^>< 






We little jtt^rl rnade everything /) 

ftr> the IKiind c^ent *~^ li 



(K]in^ ^ent 



==^ 



0MPTER XXVI 

01 E^*^ IQlNEO (CjaPE FOR (Pj^lRTlEa 



'*^ CAN'T wait! I simply cawn't!" Mary Frances 

I paused at the door. It was Scissors Shears 
-^ again. 

''Pray, why 'cawn't' you?" mimicked Tommy Pin 
Cushion. 

'Ah, don't you know? To-day's lesson is so 
^el-e-gan-tis-si-mus!' " 

"What do we make — I mean what do we help 
make?" asked Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"Our livings, of course," clicked Scissors Shears. 

"Oh, you simple, silly old sharp-tongued — !" 

"There, there, that will do!" said Scissors Shears; 
''ask Sewing Bird." 

"What do we make, Sewing Bird, please?" asked 
ur livirvg Tommy Pin Cushion. "I didn't hear." 




oK cource" 



"A pretty thing 

Of funny shape — 

212] 




"V/Kat dio vye maUe 



A Fur-lined Cape for Parties 



213 



A dainty, party 
Fur-lined cape," 




sang Sewing Bird. 

^'Oh, ho! Hee-hee!" laughed Scissors Shears. ''I 
bet we'll have to use Jubey." 

''What for?" asked Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"For the fur," said Scissors Shears. 

"I guess not, I guess not," said Mary Frances 
stepping into the room. ''Use Jubey! I'd rather 
Mary Marie would never have a fur-lined cape, Magic 
and Mystery!" 

"Of course," said Fairy Lady. "Oh, of course! 
By the way, — ^where is that cat?" 

"She's down-stairs," said Mary Frances, "hunting ^^ 

mice in the cellar. Grandma asked me to let her be Oubey* 
there." 

"That's aU right," said Fairy Lady, "I feel a 
little more comfortable to know she is more 
interested in mice than in birds, at present. You 
see, she seems to birds very much as lions do to 
people." 

"I'll take good care that she doesn't come up- 



I bey' 




Hunting mice in "the ceUar 



214 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




stairs again, dear Fairy Lady," said Mary Frances. 
"But do I really need fur for to-day's lesson?" 

"Have you any fur in Mary Marie's trunk?" asked 
Fairy Lady. 

"No," said Mary Frances. "That is one thing 
that isn't here." 

"What is that?" asked Fairy Lady, peering into 
the trunk. "Is it very thick white outing flannel?" 

"Yes," said Mary Frances, holding up the soft, 
fleecy material. 

"Good!" laughed Fairy Lady. "Good! Now, 
fetch a bottle of ink and a big toothpick." 

"What in the world?" thought the little girl. 

"I will show you how to make 'near-ermine' fur," 
said Fairy Lady, dipping the broad end of the large 
toothpick into the ink, and making black tail-like 
marks on the flannelette. 

"Oh, how sweet!" exclaimed Mary Frances. 

''Isn't it pretty?" said Fairy Lady. "This is for 
the lining. What will the outside of the cape be?" 

"Here is some heavy blue silk," said Mary Frances. 

"Lovely!" exclaimed Fairy Lady. "You can cut 
out the cape, then pin it to the flannelette, and cut out 




Bottle <rf ink ^oct bt<[^ ioothpicU 



A Fur-lined Cape for Parties 



215 



the lining. Then unpin it, and mark the Hning like 
this, to imitate ermine; — and here is another parcel 
from the Thimble King." 

Mary Frances opened the package and read aloud: 



Pattern 17. — Doll's Fur-lined Cape 

See Insert V 
To cut out — 

1. Pin pattern with the Straight Edge of FRONT on a length- 
mse edge of material. Cut out, carefully making all notches. 

2. Cut another piece exactly like this. 

3. Cut lining in exactly the same way. 

4. Cut collar with the two ring (oo) edge of pattern on a 
lengthwise fold of material. 

5. Cut collar lining in same way. 
To make — ■ 

Note. — Make the outside of the cape first. The lining is 
made in exactly the same way. 

1. To Make Cape. — Pin the two pieces together with the 
right sides facing each other. 

2. Baste the long seam (having three single notches). 
Open the cape. 

3. Baste the shoulder seams, matching the notches carefully. 

4. Try on doll. Alter cape, if necessary. Stitch seams. 

5. Make the lining in the same way. 




Baate 




•^•ary France^ opened the packa^« 




216 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Press open all seams. 

6. Turn in outside edges of cape and lining one-quarter inch, 
except at the neck. 4 Baste. Press. 

7. Pin lining in cape, wrong sides facing, carefully fitting seam 
to seam. Overhand or stitch outside tumed-in edges. 

8. Baste collar and collar-lining together. Stitch an eighth- 
of-an-inch seam along all edges except the neck-edge. 

Turn inside-out. Baste along edges. Press. 

9. Sew the collar to the cape, in same way as an apron band, 
first pinning the double notches in the outside of the collar to the 
double notches in the outside of the cape. 

10. Fasten cape with a hook and eye. 

''My, I do hope such finery won't make Mary 
Marie vain!" said Fairy Lady. 

''No," said Mary Frances, "I think it won't. 
I've explained to her that she must divide with all her 
sisters-in-law, and step-sisters, her whole outfit. It 
seems almost like a trousseau." 

"That's true and sew!" exclaimed Scissors Shears. 





hope ^ucK tinery 
(MJairy [Hjarie vain 



v/oni 




ElHflPTERXXVIl 



Sl"(DlREss-ly)p' [olReas 



ii 



G 



OOD-AFTERNOON, your Seamstress-ship/' 
welcomed Sewing Bird. 

'^Good-afternoon, dear Thimble People," 
said Mary Frances. ''I was so sorry that I had to 
miss last week's lesson! Grandma didn't take her after- 
noon out, and little Lottie was over here to play." 

"I know," said Scissors Shears. ''I heard you; 
I had on my long ears." 

"You did!" laughed Mary Frances. ''Well, did 
you hear me promise to give her some little helps in 
dressing her doll? I would dearly love to make some- 
thing for her doll — a dress, I think. She is just the 
size of Mary Marie." 

"What's her name?" asked Scissors Shears. 
"The doll's name, do you mean? Katy-did." Good- 

a^terncxxi 
"Oh, bless my biU! 
Oh, what a name! 

[217] 





*Coocl- afternoon ,wou»* Seamc^ire^^-dhip 



218 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




If Katy-did— 
It is a shame," 

sang Sewing Bird. 

''Katy did what?" asked Scissors Shears, staring 
at Mary Frances. 

"Katy-did Nice," answered Mary Frances. 

''You mean nicely, I think," said Scissors Shears. 

''No," said Mary Frances. "Nice is Lottie's last 
name. The whole name of Lottie's doll is — Katy- 
did Nice. Can't I make her a dress?" 

"Well," answered Sewing Bird, slowly, "if you do, 
you may be asked about us; and if you answer the 
question truly, we'll never, never be able to do any- 
thing more." 

"Never! Never!" exclaimed Mary Frances. "I'd 
rather never make the dress for Katy-did Nice." 

" If you wait 

And do not fret. 
You'll get your wishes 
Even yet," 



Katie -^ic* 

w h SI t ? "* sang Sewing Bird. 




Kdiie- did Nice 



A ''Dress-up" Dress 



219 



"Oh, thank you, dear Magic and Mystery," said 
the Httle girl. ''I will be patient, — indeed I will!" 

''Well, then," said Fairy Lady, "here is to-day's 
message, and gift from the King of Thimble Land." 

Mary Frances took the package. It was tied with 
golden thread and fastened with a simbeam. 

"Press the sunbeam," smiled Fairy Lady, "and 
the package will open." 

Out feU 

Pattern 18. — Doll's Afternoon Dress 

See Insert VI 
To Tuck Dress— 

1. Cut the material twenty-four inches long, and eighteen 
inches wide. 

2. Find center by folding the goods crosswise. Crease. 

3. Spread material open. Measure five and one-half inches 
down on both sides of the crease. 

Mark across the goods with pins — then with red bastings. 

4. Fold material lengthwise. Crease well, between red 
bastings. 

Spread the material open. Run a blue basting thread down 
this center crease. 

5. Measure three-quarter inch from the blue basting to the 
right, along the red bastings. Mark with pins. 



^ 



Rr3t 
tuck 



CfiNTEf? 




Mark iucK^ each ^icle cenier Vaa3tin^ 



220 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




p.ece«j 



6. Fold and crease from pin to pin, being careful to keep a 
straight line. 

7. Baste three-eighth of an inch from edge of fold, through 
the double cloth. 

8. Do same to left of center crease. 

9. To make another tuck — Lay tuck already made, back- 
ward toward center 

Then measure from edge of fold of tuck one and one-half 
inches, along each red basting line. Mark with pins. 

10. Make new tuck in same way as first tuck. 
There should be two tucks each side of center crease. 

11. Stitch tucks along the basting lines. 

Note. — When tucking is finished, compare it with the pin- 
holes on pattern. 

All these tucks are laid and creased to the bottom of 
goods before cutting out dress. 
To Cut Out Dress— 

1. Fold goods crosswise. Pin pattern in place, with edge 
having double rings on the fold. Cut out. 

2. With a pin, prick through the dotted belt lines. 

3. Cut four collar pieces. Pin arrow ( > » » » ) edge of collar 
pattern on a lengthwise edge of goods. 

4. Cut two belts, with double rings on a lengthwise fold of 
material. 

5. Cut two sleeve-bands by sleeve-band pattern of Morning 
Dress (Pattern 9). 

6. To Cut Skirt Trimming Band. — Remove pattern from 



Iwo iucU«j edcV> G^ide cent^-r* 



A ''Dress-up" Dress 



221 



dress. Spread open the skirt part. Lay it upon the plain trim- 
ming material. Pin in place. 

7. Cut off at edge of skirt. Make this band one and one-half 
inches wide. Cut two such bands. 
To Make Dress— 

1. Join seams of skirt trimming-band. 

2. Stitch sleeve-bands in place, as for Morning Dress. 

3. Make placket and make button-holes, and sew on buttons. 
4t. Join underarm with French seams. 

5. Face (right side of) bottom of dress with skirt trimming- 
band in the following way: 

"Facing" is making a false hem. 

On the wrong side of the skirt, lay the skirt trimming-band 
with the lower edge even with the bottom of the skirt. 
Baste. Stitch one-quarter inch from edge. 

6. Remove bastings. Turn band over to right side. 
Crease along the seam. Baste along the seam. 

Turn in edge of trimming-band (or facing) one-quarter inch. 
Baste band flat against dress. Stitch (or hem) in place. 

7. Make each belt in same way as belt for rompers. 

8. Make two collars in same way as collar for fur-lined cape. 
Pattern 17. 

9. Sew collars fast to dress, first pinning notch to the fold- 
crease of the shoulder at the neck. 

Attach collars to dress in same way as underwaist to flannel 
petticoat. 

10. Pin belts in place shown on pattern. Fasten each belt 




Sew beK 

ihrou<ih 
a button 




Lay ed^e o^^kirt on triVnminQ band 



222 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



in two places only. On the point, which lies over a plait, sew 
belt fast, through a button. 

These belts hold the fullness of the dress, under arms, in place. 



Best wishes to the little girl who "tries." 



King Thimble. 



"How beautiful!" exclaimed Mary Frances. 
"Please thank His Majesty, dear Thimble People." 
"Can you get along without our help, please?" 
asked Scissors Shears. 

"Well," said Mary Frances, "the Needle-of-Don't- 
Have-to-Try, you know, — " 

"But," said Scissors Shears, hopping up and down, 
"what I want to know is, — can you cut all that with- 
out help? May I ask what goods you will use for the 
afternoon dress?" 

"This pretty red-dotted lawn," said Mary Frances, 
"and this fine white lawn for the guimpe!" 

"Will you, may I ask, please, — will you leave the 
lawn and pattern on the sewing table?" 
'«nj^ou ''Oh, I know!" cried Mary Frances. "You want 

^et fiilon' to help by cutting them out, Scissors Shears — but I 
^^ithou-^'"'^ will do my own making, — thank you." 
our Vielo?" 





How b»siuti"^l i 



A ''Dress-up" Dress 



223 



When the afternoon dress was finished, Mary 
Frances sHpped it on Mary Marie, sat her in her rocking 
chair, then stepped outside,and peeped in to see what the 
Thimble People would do. In a minute, they gathered 
in a circle around the pretty doll, and began singing: 

''Proudie! Proudie! 
Aren't you a httle Proudie! 
Proudie! Proudie! 
Aren't you a little Proudie!" 

Mary Marie looked pleased, but couldn't say a 
word. 






mouciie! ^___j 

^ren t^you a little |P|roudte' 



OHflPTERXXVIlI 



aRY n aRIE lir^S rt IHkiRTY 



RESS 



(( 



D 




EARIE me! Thimble People/' exclaimed 
Mary Frances. ''I'm so excited! I'm 
so excited! Mary Marie has been invited 
to a party." 

''To a party!" exclaimed Scissors Shears. "To a 
party, — excuse me, but don't you mean, 'by a party?' " 
"How could you buy a party?" asked Tommy 
Pin Cushion. 

"It's been known to be done," answered Scissors 
Shears. 

"Will her mother let her go?" asked Silver Thimble 
anxiously. 

"Yes, indeed," laughed Mary Frances. "If she 
has a party dress — " 

"What a guess! 

Why, what a guess! 
Next lesson is 
A party dress!" 

[224] 




Will her J^other let hgr jj??' 



Mary Marie Has a Party Dress 225 



sang Sewing Bird, hopping on one leg on the table, 
and fluttering her wings, 

"Mary Marie, 
How sweet she'll be 
In finery: 

Not spoiled she'll be 
By vanity, 
Or finery." , 

"Just be her own sweet self, won't you, dear?" 
said Mary Frances, hugging the dolly close. 

"If you were 

As pretty as she. 
You might be 

Spoiled by finery," Rutterlnd 

sang Tommy Pin Cushion, pointing to Scissors Shears. 

"By the way, how's business?" Win< 

"Dull! Fatty," began Scissors Shears, "You—" 
then, seeing Mary Frances' look, he added lamely, 
"Pretty is as pretty does, and beauty is only skin-deep. 






•Juc^i be Vxer own ^weei ^e\f " 



226 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

If you lost your skin, Tommy, we'd knock all the stuf- 
fin's out o' you!" 

''Hush!" whispered Sewing Bird, 

''Now, let's to work, 
Now, let's not shirk, 

But sew with purpose hearty! 
With love and fun. 
Work is begun 

On the dress for dolly's party!" 

"Oh, thank you," exclaimed Mary Frances, open- 
ing Mary Marie's trunk. "What shall we use. Magic 
and Mystery?" 

"Let me see?" said Fairy Lady, flying down beside 
the trunk. 

r Mary Frances was too surprised to say anything 

when she saw the lovely gauzy wings spread out, and 

„ , Fairy Lady sailing down from the table. 

riu^n. "Oh," said the little fairy in her bird-like voice, 

^ ^P^*^^ "little Lady Seamstress, this is only a small surprise 

oewin«i compared to the lovely ones in store for you." 

Qirci ^— ^ "More yet, dear Fairy Lady?" asked Mary Frances, 

her eyes opening in wonder. "Why, it seems to me — " 





Fairy ^^^y ^atiing^ down -frorn the teibie 





et me ^ee. 




Mary Marie Has a Party Dress 



227 



"I must not tell you another word," said the little 
lady; ''I shouldn't have said even that!" 

^'Oh, I wouldn't have dared whisper that," 
said Tommy Pin Cushion to Emery Bag. "Why, 
the King would have shaken the stuffing out of 
me!" 

"This," exclaimed Fairy Lady, "is just the thing 
to make a party dress for Mary Marie," and she held 
up a piece of most beautiful fabric. 

"What is it?" asked Mary Frances. "I didn't 
see that in the trunk!" 

"Didn't you?" asked Fairy Lady. 

Mary Frances held up the sparkling goods. It 
was very, very fine, and thin, yet not veil-Hke. It 
shone like spun glass, and was made of the colors of 
the rainbow. 

"How exquisite!" breathed the little girl. "Isn't 
it beautiful! Please, dear Fairy Lady, where did it 
come from?" 

"It came," said Fairy Lady, "from your friend, 
the King of Fairy Thimble Land." 

"Oh," said Mary Frances. "Did you, dear Fairy 
Lady, did you bring it?" 




■'Whdt 



^ ' 



t?' 




I wouldn't have dared whi3pe«- Ihat'. 



228 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




SV»e V,e\d 
up a litite 



4 



"In this," nodded Fairy Lady, and she held up a 
little satchel that looked like Mary Frances' mother's 
pearl earring. 

"Will it go in such a tiny satchel?" asked the little 
girl, in an awed voice. 

"Yes," smiled Fairy Lady, "but the pattern takes 
up more room." 

"Did you carry that, too?" asked Mary Frances. 

"Yes, in a little suit case," said Fairy Lady. 

"May I see the pattern?" asked Mary Frances. 

She wondered how Fairy Lady would get back on 
the table, but the little lady spread her wings again — 
this time showing the lovely coloring and golden tips. 

Flying high above the table, she came down and 
settled herself in the doll's rocking chair. 

Then she spread open 

Pattern 19. — Doll's Guimpe (for Party Dress) 
See Insert III 

Suggestions for material. — Dimity or lace. 
To cut out — 

1. Pin pattern with edge having two rings (oo) on a cross- 
mse fold of goods. Cut out. 




"Yet 



in 



a liiile ^u«t cQQe 



Mary Marie Has a Party Dress 



229 



2. Cut guimpe sleeve-band, with arrow lengthwise of material. 
To make — 

1. Gather end of each sleeve. 

2. Fold sleeve-band through center, lengthwise. (See dotted 
line on pattern.) 

3. Sew sleeve-bands in place at ends of sleeves, in same way 
as band of little "tie around apron." 

4. Join guimpe under arms with French seams. 

5. Make a half-inch hem down each side of back. 

6. Make a half-inch hem in bottom of guimpe. Through this 
hem run a narrow tape, threaded into a bodkin. 

7. Turn the narroivest hem possible in the neck. Do not at- 
tempt to hem this with hemming stitches, but overhand it 
closely. 

8. Overhand narrow lace edging in the neck and sleeves. 

9. Make three button-holes, and sew on buttons. 

Pattern 20. — Doll's Party Dress 
See Insert X 
Suggestions for material. — Flowered dimity or lawn. 
To cut out — 

1. The skirt should be cut: five and one-half inches long — 
with the lengthwise of the material. 

Thirty-two inches wide — across the material. 

2. To Cut Out the Waist- 
Fold material crosswise. Pin pattern with edge having two 

rings (oo) on the fold. Cut out. Remove pattern. 





Thro ugh nem run &i narrow iope 



230 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




the 
cjioulder 



3. To Cut Neck. — Cut pattern along the row of pinholes, 
marked front. 

Fold back along other row of pinholes. 

Spread waist open on table. 

Pin pattern in place on one end of waist. Cut neck by the 
turned-in V-shaped outline. 
To make — 

1. Join skirt and make placket as in white lawn petticoat. 

2. Make a three-quarter inch hem at the bottom. 
Gather top, using two gathering threads. Begin each thread 

in center top of skirt. 

3. Fold waist lengthwise. Cut open the back from center of 
square of neck. Make half-inch hems down the backs. 

4. Make a narrow hem around the neck-opening. 

5. Spread waist open on table. Cut a piece of baby ribbon 
two and one-quarter inches long. Cut another piece one and 
one-half inches long. 

6. Fasten, by sewing through a bead, one end of each piece 
of ribbon to one side of the V-shaped neck opening, in the place 
shown by the pinholes in the pattern. 

7. Fasten other end in same way, making the front neck 
opening one and one-quarter inches wide at the top, and three- 
quarters of an inch wide at the pointed end. 

8. Join with French seam from notches to bottom of waist. 

9. Hem armholes above the seams. 

Gather across the shoulder fold, making the gathered goods 
measure one inch across. Fasten thready 




Fao^ien ribbon ^by c^ew mct^ tUrou^b ti bend 



Mary Marie Has a Party Dress 



231 



10. Cut a belt of half-inch-wide white tape, making it 
eleven inches long. 

Gather bottom of waist. Turn in ends of tape belt one- 
quarter inch. 

11. Baste gathers of waist fiat to tape belt, having tape on 
wrong side. Baste gathers of skirt flat to other edge of tape belt. 

Stitch in place. Sew lace insertion, or ribbon beading over 
the gathers on the right side. 

12. Make button-holes, and sew on buttons. 

13. Trim the hems around the neck-opening and armholes 
with 

38. — French Knots 

1. Thread embroidery needle with embroidery cotton. Make 
knot. Draw needle through from wrong side. 

2. With left hand, wrap cotton, where it comes through the 
material, three times around the needle, holding needle with right 
hand. 

3. Holding the coiled thread firmly in place with left thumb, 
insert needle-point downward, at place where it first came 
through. Pull through to wrong side. 

4. Push needle upward where next stitch is to be made. 
Pull through to right side. Proceed as above. 




french 
KnotQ 



'^ Won't it be charming?" said Mary Frances. 
''Oh, won't Mary Marie be the happiest doll!" 




Trim with /rench knotc^ 



232 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




''But how can you keep it a secret, if she goes to a 
party?" asked Scissors Shears anxiously. ''I don't 
want to be a Never-Never." 

"Oh," said Mary Frances, ''the party isn't to be 
given until next summer. She's only invited — that's 
all." 

"Strike me pink!" exclaimed Tommy Pin Cushion. 
"I was feeling scared white." 

"Shows how silly it is to worry," said Emery Bag. 

"I beg all your pardons," said Mary Frances. 
"I didn't mean to be — to take advantage. I almost 
forgot how long it is till next summer. I am very 
sorry if I did wrong." 

"Gives you longer to finish the dress," said Fairy 
Lady. "There's a good deal of work on it." 

"I'll work very hard," said Mary Frances, "and 
I'll be more careful what I say in the future." 

"We understand, of course we do. 
That your kind heart is always true; 
You wouldn't do a thing that you 
Would not have others do to you," 




!l1S ^^^> n<3L Bird 



Mary Marie Has a Party Dress 233 




n 


sang Sewing Bird, — and perhaps, the little bird 


1 


smiled. 

• •••••• 


ruMm 


1 


This is how the dress looked when Mary Frances 


/< w/gJfffff/jVUIIill 


had finished it. 







ane I 



13 Ooin<^ Xq a party 




Oh.m 



jiy 



/cather 






C3 



I 



OmpterXXIX 

IRjaRY (M|aRIE QOES jflJuTOMOBILINQ 

'^ ^'■^H, my feathers and oh, my eye!" Sewing Bird 
1 1 was screaming, as Mary Frances came to 
^■^ the sewing room door for the next lesson. 
"Why, what's the matter, Sewing Bird?" asked 

Mary Frances. 

"Not for myself, but quite contrary — 
'Twas for the sake of Dick Canary!" 

sang Sewing Bird frantically. 

"Why, what is the matter, dear little bird?" again 
asked Mary Frances. 

Sewing Bird replied: 

"While I was sitting here in state, 
Just what happened I'll now relate : 

"A gentle scratching at the door, 
A gentle foot-step on the floor, 

[234] 




V/Wy, what3 the matter^ 



Mary Marie Goes Automobiling 



235 



Then Jubey, black as a blackberry, 
Looked up at pretty Dick Canary, 
And what he said, to me seemed clear: — > 
'Ah, bird, your voice is very dear! 
Your feathers shine like purest gold 
As in the sun they do unfold; 
Oh, sing to me, you lovely thing. 
Oh, sing and sing and sing and sing!' 

' Then Dick Canary hurt his throat, 
He sang so loud on every note. 

'Now, people love to eat of chicken — 

If I stole one, I'd get a lickin', 

And then you'd hear an awful scream — 

"Why don't you give that cat ice-cream?" 

A chicken and a bird to me 

Seem much alike — do they to thee? 

How classic is your pretty voice, 

I love to hear you make that noise. 

Oh, sing to me, you lovely thing, 

Oh, sing and sing and sing and sing/ 




'Dick 

Canary 

Inurl hiQ 




^h, bird, voor voice Ic^ \fGry de^rV 



236 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




He san^ 
eo loud 

on every 

noie 



''Then Dick Canary hurt his throat, 
He sang so loud on every note. 

'' 'Music has charm to soothe, I believe. 
The wild instincts that in me breathe. 
How horrible your lonely fate, 
To be behind that golden gate. 
If I for you undo the bars. 
Perhaps you'll soar beyond the stars. 
Where go birds-souls — I really wonder — 
It makes me sit and sit and ponder. 
Oh, sing to me, you lovely thing, 
Oh, sing and sing and sing and sing.' 

"Then Dick Canary hurt his throat 
He sang so loud on every note. 

■' 'If I undo the bars for thee. 
And from the cage thy sweet life free — 
Well, folks love chicken, this I know — 
Are you a chicken? Yes! I trow!' 

"Just then, I heard you on the stair, 
Dear Miss, and cried out, then and there; 




I V^eard^^oM on ihe^iair* 



Mary Marie Goes Automobiling 



237 



Not for myself— but quite contrary — 
'Twas for the sake of Dick Canary." 

"1 met Jubey scudding into the kitchen," laughed 
Mary Frances, '^frightened to death, — she looked. 
I can't understand howlshe got up-stairs. Magic and 
Mystery. I said to her : ' Jubey, you'll get no sympathy 
from me if you've been up-stairs.' " 

''The strange part is," said Fairy Lady, "that Dick 
Canary seemed to like it." 

"'Flattery sounds 
Sweet to the ear, 
Even from those 
We ought to fear,' 




my Grandma says," replied Mary Frances. 

"Oh, yes," said Fairy Lady. "I do believe that "Dick 

is so; now, for to-day's plans." ^ 

"This time," said Mary Frances, rather shame- s_x 

facedly, "it is a real event. Mary Marie has been ^^^*"ea w 
invited to take an automobile ride with Lottie's ten liUe it" 
children." 




TVm5 ^•"^c »*^ ^5 «i real event* 



238 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



''Oh, how delightful!" exclaimed Fairy Lady, 
''and so opportune!" 

"Opportune," thought Mary Frances. "Oppor- 
tune — that must mean 'just right.' " 

"Yes," nodded Fairy Lady, as though reading her 
thoughts, "it is 'just right' — ^for I have to-day the 

Pattern 21. — Doll's Automobile Coat 
See Insert VII 
To cut out — 

1. Fold goods crosswise. Pin pattern with edge having two 
rings (oo) on fold. Cut out. 

2. Remove pattern. Spread coat open on a table. 

3. Cut pattern along the one row of pinholes marked front. 
(See Directions on Insert VII.) Fold pattern backward along 
the other row of pinholes. 

4. Pin pattern in place on one end of coat. 

5. Cut neck along the V-shaped lines. 
Remove pattern. 

6. Cut goods open from point of V-shaped neck, to bottom 
of coat. 

This makes the front-opening. 

7. Cut two collars with edge of pattern having the two rings 
(oo) on lengthwise fold of material. 

8. Cut two cuffs with edge of pattern having two rings (oo) 
opportune^, on lengthwise fold of material. 





lh«3t mu^i mean ju3i rid tit 



Mary Marie Goes Automobiling 



239 



To make- 

1. To face the front-openings: — 
Spread coat open upon a piece of the material of which it is 

made, right sides facing. 

2. Baste along front-opening, and around the neck, through 
the material underneath. 

Cut open the underneath-material, along the opening of the 
coat. 

3. Cut underneath-material off, one and one-half inches from 
edge of front-opening and around the neck. 

4. Stitch facing in place one-quarter inch from edges. Remove 
bastings. Turn facings over to wrong side. Baste edge, along 
enclosed seam. 

5. Closely notch, or "pink" the "raw" edges of facings. 
Baste facings down along notched edges. Press. 
Stitch (or "tack") facings down near the notched edges. 

6. Baste facings on ends of sleeves, on wrong side of coat. 
Stitch one-quarter inch from edge. Remove bastings. 

7. Turn facings over to right side, and baste along the 
turned edges. Turn down one-quarter inch at top, and stitch »pS* 
down. 

8. Join coat under arms with French seams. 

9. Make collar as for Fur-lined Cape. 

10. Matching notches carefully, baste collar on coat, and 
sew in place as in making Fur-lined Cape. 

11. Make a three-quarter inch hem at bottom of coat. 

12. Fasten coat with two large buttons and button-holes. 





^*23^Jy notch edo,ec^ of^ ^cin^^ 



240 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Pattern 22. — Doll's Automobile Bonnet 

See Insert VIII 
To cut— 

1. Fold goods lengthwise. 

Pin pattern with edge having two rings (oo) on the fold. 
Clip the notch carefully. 

2. In cutting Bonnet Band and lining: — Pin pattern with 
edge having two rings (oo) on a lengthwise fold of material. 




ribbon 
sjlnn 



e33 



To make — 

1. One-quarter inch from edge, gather circular part of bonnet 
from notch in center back to notch in center front. Gather other 
side of circle. 

2. Baste lining to Bonnet Band. 
Stitch one-quarter inch from front edge. 

3. Remove bastings. Open the band. Join ends in a plain 
seam. Fold lining down inside band, and baste along the circular 
seam. Stitch one-quarter inch from edge. 

4. To Join Band to Bonnet: — Proceed just as in attaching 
collar to Fur-Lined Cape. 

First pin single center-front notch of bonnet and of band 
together. 

Then the double notches. 

Then single center-back notch of bonnet to seam of band. 
Baste and sew in place, hemming down the lining. 
Attach ribbon-strings at the double notches. 




Qather -from noicb to noicb 



Mary Marie Goes Automobiling 



241 



Note. — Trim bonnet with bunch of ribbon-rosette flowers, 
sewed on left side. 

Fold back the bonnet band through the middle. (See dotted 
line on pattern.) 



''My dear Thimble People!" exclaimed Mary 
Frances, after working a long while with the Needle- 
of-Don't-Have-to-Try. ''Never did a child have such 
lovely friends — never! Look at this dear little coat!" 

"We love all children who are patient, and try to 
do their best!" smiled Fairy Lady. "So many are 
forgetful, or impolite and impatient." 

"I'm afraid Fm sometimes all of those," said Mary 
Frances. 

"But in your very down-deep heart, 
You never think the things that smart; 
Your heart is really always kind — 
Sometimes you're wrong, and sometimes blind, — 
But those who know you well, know this: 
To make all right, you give a kiss — 
Not just an ordinary kiss- 
It says, 'Please just forgive me this!' " 




■Thicj 

dear little 
coot" 




Trim bonnet with ribbon- r«g^e ti:e ^owejr^ 




•^ 242 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



"And that is why you are loved so much!" Sewing 
Bird sang. 

Mary Frances took Mary Marie, all dressed in her 
new automobile clothes, out to the automobile which 
had just pulled up in front of the door. And Scissors 
Shears, and Tommy Pin Cushion, and Emery Bag, and 
Pen Cil, and Needle Book, and all the other Thimble 
People, waved their cunning little hands. 




rance^ took [MJary [M|arie 
out to tWe automobile 



-/a. 




SHdPTEflXXX 



(\R\ ^aaiE QOES IN im^THINQ 



MARY FRANCES tip-toed into the sewing 
room. 
'^S'sh! s'sh!" she said. Oh, Thimble 
People, I've, — oh, dear me ! Oh, Magic and Mystery, — 
I've got the bath-tub half full of water. It's the ocean, 
I have my sail-boat on it, and Mary Marie is going 
in bathing — when I've finished my lesson. I just 
dipped her feet in to see how she'd like it — I can't 
exactly say Grandma would approve — but Mother 
would let me, I think. 

''Isn't it strange? My grandmother — my 
mother's mother — doesn't think exactly as her Uttle 
girl, my mother, does. Now, I generally always think 
almost exactly what my mother thinks is right." 

'''Generally always almost exactly,'" whispered 
Scissors Shears to Tommy Pin Cushion. "That's the 
way I agree with Sewing Bird." 

"And you, Tommy Pin Cushion?" asked Emery Bag. 

[243] 








*flncl^< 



ou . lorn 



O 



P, 



n 



Cujh 



•or> 



244 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Bathinrf 
3uii O 



"And I — " began Tommy Pin Cushion. 

''Hush up!" said Scissors Shears. ''You're always 
stuck in! You keep quiet, nobody gets a chance to 
talk for you!" 

Tommy Pin Cushion got very red in the face. 

''It — seems — to — me, — " he stammered. 

"Yes, there you go again!" exclaimed Scissors 
Shears. "Just as I said! Always forever trying to 
stick your bill in — though I must say — you haven't 
much of a bill — I must say that!" 

"Stop quarrehng!" exclaimed Mary Frances. 

"If Mary Marie goes in bathing," said Fairy Lady, 
"here is just the thing she'll need: 

Pattern 23. — Doll's Bathing Suit 

1. The Bathing Suit is made by the pattern of Rompers (see 
Insert IV) and of 

2. Doll's Lawn Petticoat. (See Pattern 12.) 

Cut skirt only five inches long, and do not make a tuck. 
Suggestions for Material — 
Red or blue flannel, trimmed with white braid. 
Note. — The skirt may be gathered or plaited. 
Make the opening of the rompers in front. Face the front 
openings with a strip of lining material one-half inch wide. 




Tommy Pio Cu^V^ion q^ \ r^ci ir% the -face 




16. L( 



-<S^"SS 




25. Sun Bonnet 



Mary Marie Goes in Bathing 



245 



Make eyelets in the facings, and lace Bathing Suit together 
through the eyelets. 

''This is splendid!" exclaimed Mary Frances, as 
she began to cut out the suit. "Grandma is to be 
away several hours to-day. I would miss her ter- 
ribly if it were not for you, dear friends. We have 
such fun — she and I — almost as much as Father 
and I, or Mother and I, or Bill and I — or, just as 
much as Lottie and I! But I want to get these 
lovely things made for my dear Mary Marie before 
Grandma comes back." 

''Then," smiled Fairy Lady, "you must learn to 
make: 

39. — Eyelets 

For practice, use a folded and basted piece of muslin, as 
for button-holes. 

1. Pierce the cloth with a "stiletto," or very large needle- 
punch, breaking as few threads as possible. . ^. , 

2. Work the edges of the hole with over-and-over overhand-v^P 
ing stitches, close together as possible. Hold work over forefinger 

of left hand. 

Note. — In making a large eye-hole, mark a circle with running 
stitch, cut out close inside the thread. Turn back the edges and 
work closely with button-hole stitch. 







*•-« 



Cyel 



eie 



t3 



246 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

''Oh," exclaimed Mary Frances. ''Now, when I 
finish this, my Mary Marie can splash and splash — 
but I'll not get them done to-day, — even with the 
Needle-of-Don' t-Have-to-Try !" 

"But you will finish them quite soon," said Fairy 
Lady, "I feel certain." 

"You do believe in me, dear little Lady," said 
Mary Frances. 

"Faith in us 

Makes us do, and be, 
Far better than 
We think or see," 

sang Sewing Bird. 

"If she doesn't get them done soon, Mary Marie 
"far better ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ bath," whispered Tommy Pin Cushion, 
.1 giggling, and he began to recite, — 

"Oh, Missy, may I go in to swim? 
^^'^^^ Oh, yes, my darling rub-dub; 

Hang your clothes on a towel-rack limb, 
But don't go near the bath-tub." 





Wlii^pered Tommy R'n Cu^Viion 



Mary Marie Goes in Bathing 



247 r 



''Tommy Pin Cushion!" exclaimed Mary Frances, 
picking him up and putting him on the window sill. 

"Excuse me!" spoke up the little fellow, looking 
out of the window, "but here comes your grand- 
mother." 

"I better run and let the water out of the bath-tub," 
said Mary Frances. 



"Mary Marie didn't get her bath!" exclaimed 
Scissors Shears. "She didn't get her bath!" 

"Well, she went in bathing, anyhow," said Tommy 
Pin Cushion. "Didn't you see? Both her feet were 
wet!" 

"That's how wet you'd get if you went swimming," 
said Scissors Shears. "She'll go in bathing when the 
little Miss finishes her suit — ^maybe." 





E 



atr 



iry 




m 



cine 



^^o.n^ 



pind in bathin 




ICImpterXXXI 

0UFFS AND ICjaPS rtNO ©RETTIEST [T1r«P5 




It rnearjQ 
'ou revoirj 
but nol 
i^odi- bye 



by, 



T 



^tf ■ AHIS letter says," explained Mary Frances, 
"this letter says, oh, Thimble Friends, 
that my mother and father are coming home 
in two weeks, — and Billy, too. I must hurry to finish 
my lessons. Oh, dear, dear! Why, what's the mat- 
ter. Scissors Shears — and Tommy Pin Cushion — ^and 
Emery Bag?" 

'^It means good-bye!" sobbed Scissors Shears. 

"It means good-bye!" sobbed Tommy Pin Cushion. 

"It means good-bye!" whimpered Emery Bag. 

"It means 'au re voir,' but not good-bye," sang 
Sewing Bird. 

"Oh, it do, do it?" said Scissors Shears, looking 
sharply at Sewing Bird. 

"Does it, Magic and Mystery?" asked Mary 
Frances. 

"It doesn't mean good-bye," answered Fairy Lady. 
"But I can't explain it until some time later." 

[248] 




It mean^ ^Opoct- bye!" 



Muffs and Caps and Prettiest Traps ' 249 

"My, I'm relieved!" said Mary Frances. "So— 
what is to-day's lesson, dear Fairy Lady?" 



"For Mary Marie more lovely things 
The Fairy Lady to you brings, — 
A little muff, and tippet of fur, 
A sweet little summer cap for her, 
A dainty little cross-stitch bag — 
But I must stop for fear I'll brag," 



sang Fairy Lady. Then stooping, she drew these pat- (. f ^^mm i 



terns from under the rocking chair cushion : 






Pattern 24. — Doll's Muff and Tippet 
See Insert VIII 

Directions for making Doll's Fur Muff and Tippet. 

1. Cut tippet from heavy flannelette — arrow on lengthwise of 
goods. 

2. Mark with ink to imitate Ermine. Turn in edge one- 
quarter of an inch. Baste. 

3. Cut lining of silk. 

4. From sheet-cotton cut a lining one-half of an inch smaller 
than pattern edges. 





Mark with xnU 



250 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

5. Baste lining to this. Turn edges of lining over this, and 
baste. 

Sew on hook and eye, at the neck. 

6. Baste Unings to outside, and "slip stitch" together. 

40. — Slip Stitch 
Is like hemming stitch, but the needle is slipped along 
about one-half of an inch — for each stitch. The needle is 
put into the material directly below where your thread is last 
brought out. 

7. Cut and make muff in same way as tippet. Then, join 
the ends of the outside in a plain seam. Open the seam, and 
hem down the lining seam. Turn muff to right side. 

Run through the muff a white cord. 

Pattern 25. — Doll's Sun Bonnet 
See Insert IX 
^ Cut out and make in same way as Automobile Bonnet. 

'o Oincl Suggestions for material — Figured organdy, with lawn brim; 

^ Seam ^^' brim of white pique. 

If pique is used for brim do not make brim double, but blanket- 
stitch the outer edge, and bind the seam where attached to 
bonnet. 

To Bind a Seam. — Cut a narrow bias strip of goods. Baste 
it even with the seam on the wrong side. Stitch in place. Turn 
it over the seam. Turn in the raw edge. Baste. Hem down. 
This may be done with tape, which will not need edges turned in. 





SUp Stitch 



Muffs and Caps and Prettiest Traps 251 



Pattern 26. — Doll's Work Bag 

Use checked silk-gingham. 
Cut same as Doll's Laundry Bag. (Pattern I.) 
On the ends of the bag, work in cross-stitch, the 
design given on this page. 

Make bag in same way as Doll's Laundry Bag. 



'bunny" 



''In the morning, before 'twas light, 
Two little bunnies began to fight; 
They fit all day and they fit all night: 
That made each such a mad little bun? 
Because both were in cross-stitch done," 



sang Scissors Shears. 

''I'U excuse you for interrupting/' said Fairy Lady, 
''but when Mary Marie gets all these things, 



"Oh! won't she be grand! 
Won't she be grand! 
There's not a lady 
In the land 
Who can with her compare." 



*ri| CKCuce 
^^ou -/or 
interrupting 




OMnny dec^i^ 



252 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



Then Scissors Shears interrupted again, 

''Alas! Alack! 
If on my back 
I wore such lovely, lovely clothes 
I'd never freeze my little toes, 
Nor wiggle up my little nose." 




Xnoudh 
fun ^ 



''Oh," laughed Tommy Pin Cushion, 

"If I could wear such lovely garb, 
I then would feel no deadly barb 
Of arrows aimed at my heart. 
That's a grand rhyme! Am I that smart?" 

Then Sewing Bird, 



"Enough of this fun 
For to-day. 
Away, you rascals — 
Run away! 




"^m I tKait ^ma/t 



? " 



Muffs and Caps and Prettiest Traps 253 



"but, 



' Mary Frances, if you please, 

Take the patterns, and make these 

Pretty things — a lot of fun! 

Let me see them when they're done." 





We drew tWe^e patternc. ^om 
under the cu^hipn 



1 




Th 



ty, 



tone 



TJ-»eyVe 



ISmPTERXXXlI 

IWIho stole (M)^ry [MJhrie's [CJlothes 



MARY FRANCES stepped into the sewing 
room. She had Mary Marie's trunk under 
her arm. 

''Oh, did you finish the cute little muff and tippet, 
and work bag, your Seamstress-ship?" asked Fairy 
Lady. 

''Yes, indeed, — I'll show them to you," said Mary 
Frances, lifting the Hd of the trunk. 

"Oh, mercy!" she cried, "Oh, dear! Oh, my! 
Oh— oh!" 

"Why, what's the matter?" asked Fairy Lady and 
Scissors Shears in one breath. 

"Why, — they're gone! They're gone! They're 
gone — the trunk is empty! Who could have stolen 
them? Ou— ou— ! Ou! Ou!" 

"They're gone!" sobbed Scissors Shears. 

"They're gone!" cried Emery Bag. 

"They've went!" said Tommy Pin Cushion. » 

[254] 



re 




TP»eyVe gone! cried Emery B pQ^ 



Who Stole Mary Marie's Clothes 255 



''What— shall— I— do? What— shaU— I— do? What 
shall — I — do?" sobbed Mary Frances. 

"What was in there?" asked Fairy Lady. 

''Oh, that sweet little kimono and Mary Marie's 
bath robe, and — her — her — everything — they were all 
in the trunk. Last night, when I finished her tippet, 
I put that in. I'm sure I did! I wanted to show them 
all to Mother, and now, I won't have them. Oh, dear ! 
Mary Marie has on her nightie — that's all that's left of 
her lovely, lovely things!" 

"Perhaps you didn't put them in the trunk," sug- 
gested Scissors Shears; "one can be mistaken about 
such things." 

"I feel certain — sure," said Mary Frances, "but 
I'll go look in my room again." 



"I'm so sorry," said Fairy Lady, "I didn't think 
she'd mind so. We don't want to hurt her feelings." 

"What shaU we do?" asked Scissors Shears. "We 
don't dare teU her until the last lesson — the King 
said—" 

As Mary Frances neared the door she heard voices; 





' I feel certain — -^ur©' 



256 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




"Will 

ciear 

Fairy 
Ladv 



, dear 

r 



but when she stepped in, all was still. She was crying 
as hard as ever. 

''No/' she sobbed, "they're not there! They are 
all gone!" 

Then suddenly remembering how everyone had 
stopped talking, she began to be curious. 

"Why!" she said, "can it be possible that you 
know anything about them?" 

They all looked guilty and waited for Fairy Lady 
to answer. 

"Listen, little Lady Seamstress," said Fairy Lady, 
"you will find them all again!' 

Mary Frances began to dry her tears. 

"WiU I? Will I, dear, dear Fairy Lady? Why,— 
how? They are not gone forever?" 

"No," smiled Fairy Lady, "they are not — they 
are yours; and we will help you find them. We don't 
quite know where they are now; but if — 

"Little Marie has lost her clothes, 

And can't tell where to find them; 
Let them alone, and they'll come home, 
With all their buttons behind them." 




You v/ill fTnci tKem all a^aiti! 



Who Stole Mary Marie's Clothes 257 

''Oh, thank you, my dear friends, — when will 
that be?" cried Mary Frances, brightening up. 

''Not until to-morrow. Come early if you can — 
we think we will get word from the Thimble King 
to-morrow; but we must wait." 

"Is it a secret? Oh, I'm so relieved!" said Mary 
Frances, "and Mary Marie will be all right in this 
warm weather in only her nightie; — but I can borrow 
one of Angle's dresses! I forgot! — I'll go put it on her." 






hat — shall CD — do? Ohat 

^ ^ ^hall — (Tl_do?' 




ISHflPTERXXXin 

{R|/IRY (FlRrtHCES VISITS (TjHlweLE: (UJrtNO 



T 



^^^ ■ AO-DAY I am to know all about where your 

dresses went, my dear Mary Marie, and I'm 

so excited I can hardly wait," said Mary 

Frances, hugging the doUy close to her as she went 

into the sewing room. 

Sewing Bird did not look up at her, nor seem to 
notice what she said. 

*'I wonder why Sewing Bird doesn't glance at me," 
she thought. "Dear little bird, she may be tired. I'm 
tired, too, really! Hu — hm," she yawned, and leaned 
back in her chair, holding her arms closely about Mary 
Marie. "I believe I'U just shut my eyes and wait 
for Sewing Bird to 'come to.' " 

Everything was quiet for a while, then suddenly 
**"^^** ^ a voice — the voice of Sewing Bird — 

"She's just in time! 
; A minute more — 

[258] 





"3he^ JH5^ '" time! 



Mary Frances Visits Thimble Land 259 

She never could 
Get in the door!" 



Mary Frances looked at Sewing Bird. 

*'How do you do, Sewing Bird, dear," she said. 

"Come," said Sewing Bird, ''we must hurry. 
Come!" 

"We're here!" laughed Mary Frances. "Why 
'hurry,' or why 'come'?" 

"Don't spend time talking," exclaimed Sewing 
Bird rather impatiently. 

Mary Frances remembered it was the first time 
she had ever spoken other than most gently to 
her. 

"If you do, you may think we're there now." 

"Why, she must be crazy," thought Mary Frances. 
"What away to talk!" 

"No," she said aloud, "I think we're here now — ^^ to fioT 
but when we're there, we're — t_5 

"Don't you want to go?" asked Sewing Bird. 

"Of course!" said Mary Frances, although she'd 
no notion where. 

"Well, that's good," said the little bird. 





Of^cour^eT^aicl Mary R-ance^ 



260 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




•Let's 



"Good!" said Scissors Shears. 

"Let us be off," said Sewing Bird. 

"Off!" said Scissors Shears. 

"Sounds as though we were off," said Mary- 
Frances. 

"Not yet," said Sewing Bird. "Here!" And she 
jumped up and pecked Mary Frances between her 
shoulders. 

The Httle girl had the strangest sensation. She 
suddenly felt as light as air, — as though her body 
weighed nothing. Her nose felt strange, and she 
thought she ought to find her handkerchief. 

"It was in my pocket, I am sure," she said, and 
started to find her pocket. Imagine her surprise 
when she couldn't find her hand. 

"Why, where can it be?" she thought. "I'll see 
if I can move my arm!" 

She raised one arm, and then the other, and away 
she flew. Out the window — and across the blue sky — 
she, nearly as blue as the sky itself, if she had 
known it. 

"How lovely!" she tried to say aloud, but what 
she heard herself singing was : 




/^way^We flev/ 



Mary Frances Visits Thimble Land 261 

*'To float away, 
Far, far away, 
In clouds of blue 
And every hue — 
I flit my wing 
And sing and sing!" 

Then came another voice: 



"I'm so glad, dear little friend, 
My trouble now is at an end; 
'Twas indeed my task of love 
To turn you to a burnished dove." 

She looked around, and there was Sewing Bird 
flying beside her, and another tiny little blue bird, 
keeping close to Sewing Bird. 

"What a dear little 
Bird of blue! 
Is she, dear friend, 
A friend of you?" 

she asked. 





What a dea*' little 
Bird of* blue I *' 



262 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

"A friend she is 
Indeed of me — 
But more of you — 
It's Miss Marie!" 

answered Sewing Bird. 




"My dear sweet doUy, 
I declare! 
She makes a beauteous bird- 
And rare!" 



'SU 



e 



sang Mary Frances. 



"Now, turn again 
To the right wing — 
m^ke^ a To Thimble Land 

beduteouc We safely bring," 

bird" ^ 

sang Sewing Bird. And Mary Frances, the Dove; 

and Mary Marie, the Blue Bird; and Sewing Bird 
Fairy Lady stood before a golden gate. 

" You'U have to become a Thimble Person to enter," 




To Thimble Land 
We ^a-^ly brin^ 



Mary Frances Visits Thimble Land 263 

smiled Fairy Lady, and she touched Mary Frances' 
right wing with her bodkin wand; and Mary Frances 
felt herself stiffen and stiffen. 

''What am I now, please?" she asked Fairy Lady. 

''You're a Work Basket," said Fairy Lady. 

"How curious it feels," said Mary Frances. "And 
Mary Marie — ^what is she?" she asked. 

"She's Bees Wax," whispered Fairy Lady. 

"Who's there?" came a voice at the gate, and 
before Mary Frances could look for Mary Marie, 
"The pass-word?" came the same voice. 

"P. P. B. S.," answered Fairy Lady. 

"What's that mean, please?" asked Mary 
Frances. 

"Patience and Perseverance — Bring — Success, ' * 
answered Fairy Lady. 

"Enter," said Big Thimble, opening the gates, Bee«^ 
and Mary Frances and Mary Marie, and Fairy Lady \Jqk 
wallced in. 

Everybody was there! Scissors Shears, Silver 
ThimblQ, Pen Cil, Needle Book, and all the others. 

My! they were delighted to see them, and gath- 
ered about, asking all kinds of questions. 





one 



V 



You're a V/ork Bao^Uet* 



264 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




-\t;3 \ove\y 
to be 
ab\e to 



"How does it seem to be a basket?" asked Scissors 
Shears. 

"I feel just a little wooden," said Mary Frances, 
''and rather too large around for my arms, — but very 
contented." 

''Oh, Bees Wax," laughed Tommy Pin Cushion, 
talking to Mary Marie, "you always had a waxen 
look to me." 

"It is lovely to be able to speak," said Bees Wax, 
otherwise Mary Marie. "I would like to thank 
Mamma, and you all — " 

"Here comes His Majesty!" exclaimed Scissors 
Shears. Everybody bowed toward the ground except 
Fairy Lady, and Mary Frances Work Basket, and Mary 
Marie Bees Wax. 

Mary Frances looked up. 

Coming between two huckleberry bushes (trees, 
Mary Frances thought them) was an airship made of 
golden basketry. Gracefully down it floated, with a 
little zdud! zdud! sound, and in it sat — Mary Frances 
knew him in a minute — the King of Fairy Thimble 
Land! 

His coat was of green and gold, but it was so glossy 




Oh, Bee^ Wax" lauQ^hed Tommy Pm Cu3Wion 





adain— but a very ^[^y^^l^ 



Mary Frances Visits Thimble Land 265 



and fine that Mary Frances thought it was spun of 
cobwebs. He held a long golden needle in his hand. 

''Where are they?" he asked. 

''Your Majesty," said Fairy Lady, "here they 
are!" 

"Oh," said the King of Thimble Land to Mary 
Frances Work Basket, and Mary Marie Bees Wax. 
"Step up and bow!" 

Mary Frances tried to kneel, thinking this w s 
proper, but the King touched her with his wand; 
then he touched Bees Wax. 

Mary Frances was herself again — but a very tiny 
self — not so large as Sewing Bird Fairy Lady, — and 
beside her was a little girl with golden curls, just half 
as tall as Fairy Lady. 

"Mother!" said the tiny little thing, smiling to ^ 
Mary Frances. iHttcn-tionV 

"Attention!" roared the King of Thimble Land. roared 

"I beg your Majesty's pardon," said Mary Frances, tKe Kmp 
"but she's never spoken to me before — and" — ^ J 

"That will do," said the King. "If a doll is more 
important than I, — sew her up!" 

"In what, Your Majesty?" asked Bod Kin. 





\ be^your l^^j^^y^ parcion* 



266 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



"Oh, no, no!" exclaimed Mary Frances. "I didn't 
mean it that way!" 

''You better not!" said the King. "But I under- 
stand," — he added, seeing Mary Frances look sad. 
"You must know I understand how you feel, 




mean it 
that 



way. 



"When you see 

All her lost dresses, 
On this tree," 

and he pointed to a little tree nearby. There were 
all Mary Marie's pretty lost clothes ! 

"You may take them with you," said the King, 
smiling. 

"Never in all the years of Thimble History," he 
went on, "have we been so interested in any little 
girl. I borrowed these to show some other little girls 
what patience and perseverance will do. 

"Now, I am going to bestow on you one of my love- 
liest gifts; for I saw all your beautiful work, and the 
Grand Sampler! A prize indeed, you shall have! From 
to-day, the Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try is yours — 
to keep! We give one something like it to all good 




•ou may take them With^^ou' 



Maey Frances Visits Thimble Land 267 



girls who try to do their best, but yours is the Fairy 
Needle-of-Don't-Have-to-Try. 

''And one more surprise! You may tell your 
mother about us, and explain about the dolly's clothes. 
Please pack them all, attendants!" 

''Here's the suit case!" said Fairy Lady, handing 
out Mary Marie's little suit case, "and over there 
is the trunk. Put the caps in the tray, remem- 
ber!" 

"You have saved us from being Never-Nevers," 
continued the King, "because you kept the secret 
until you finished the lessons. And now, that you are 
going — here is a bag of useful gifts for you to open when 
you reach home. Pack the bag in the suit case, 
attendants." 

"We'd love to keep you longer — you, and sweet 
Mary Marie — but your Grandma has called you twice. 
You may show her all the pretty things you've 
made, when you get home. Let us know when you 
want us again, unless you wish" (and the King laughed) 
"to say forever — Good-bye. Who'll say Good-bye 
forever?" he asked. 

"Oh, Your Majesty, not I!" said Mary Frances. 




"Wed 

love to 

Weep yoci 

lender 




'Please pack them ail. attendent^ 



r 




268 The Mary Frances Sewing Book 

"Not I!" answered every one of the Thimble 
People. 

Mary Frances opened her eyes. Did Sewing Bird 
or Dick Canary sing, 

"Not I!" 





ut tWe v/indov/ ond dcro 



the blue s|jy 



—>%M 



°±I 



(CItopterXXXIV 



(W)hfiT VrtS IN THE (Fj^kRY (BJflQ 



T 



HESE are the things Mary Frances found in 
the bag in Mary Marie's suit case when she 
got home: 

Pattern 27. — Doll's Rain Coat 

See Insert V 

Note. — Make rain coat about an inch longer than cape. 
To cut out — 

1. Cut out by pattern of Fur-Uned Cape. 
In the fronts, cut open the Arm Flap Opening. 
Do not cut a collar. 

2. Cut hood, having arrow edge ( »» > ) of pattern on 
lengthwise fold of goods. 

3. Cut four arm flaps. 
To make — 

1. Make in same way as Fur-lined Cape, but without a 
lining. Press seams open. 

2. Before joining shoulder seams, face fronts back as in making. 
Automobile Coat. 

3. Pin two arm flaps together, right sides facing. 

[269] 





Rain 
Coal 



Pin -two arm "flop^ togetViet* 



270 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




Drav/ up 

to ^t 
head 



Stitch one-eighth inch from all edges except the arrow edge 

). Turn inside out. 
Baste along the stitched edges. 
Stitch along the basted edges. 

4. Sew to flap-opening in position shown by dotted lines 
on pattern. 

As in putting on a band, stitch first through a single thick- 
ness of open edge of flap. Turn; baste and hem down other edge. 

5. Overhand closely and blanket-stitch the under edge of 
flap opening. 

6. Make a very narrow hem around the circular edge of hood, 
or line with plaid silk. 

7. Three-quarter inch from edge of hood (see dotted line on 
pattern) run a gathering thread of very coarse cotton. Do not 
draw up the gathers. 

8. Make a three-quarter inch hem in bottom of coat. 

9. Matching double notches carefully, pin the hood to the 
coat, with wrong sides facing each other. 

Join hood to coat with French seam. 

10. Try coat on doll. Draw up and fasten the gathers of hood 
to fit head. 

Pattern 28. — Doll's Polo Cap 

See Insert VIII 
To cut— 

(Material: white corduroy.) 

1. Cut four pieces like pattern of Polo Cap. 




1^ st»^c^^^ racing 



What Was in the Fairy Bag 271 

2. Cut a bias strip of goods, two and one-half inches wide, 
twelve and one-half inches long. 

To make — 

1. Beginning at the point, baste sections of cap together, 
right sides facing each other. 

Match the notches. 
Stitch each seam. 

2. Join ends of bias strip or band, in a plain seam. 

3. Turn in one edge of band one-quarter inch. 

4. Turn cap wrong side out. /^ 
Baste other edge of band to the edge of cap, having the right f" ^ "o 

sides of band and cap facing. U % "^ 'A 

In doing this work, stretch edge of bias band a little. /. *.'*/■' A 

5. Stitch one-quarter inch from edge. \£\ Y'l "f A 

6. Turn band or facing up on wrong side. /#«v'^.\ f-'^?\ 
Baste and hem in place. ^^^^a^^^^^i^iii/ 
(See dotted line on pattern.) 

7. Turn cap right side out. 

Turn up faced edge of cap on outside, nearly the full width. 

ocalloped 

Pattern 29. — Doll's Wedding Dress edrie or 

Note. — Cut and make a guimpe of lace. (Pattern 19.) lace xor' 

Do not use bands for sleeves, but cut sleeves narrower than _ g^K 

pattern, and place the scalloped edge of lace at ends of 

sleeves. 



G^leevec 




urn -facing up on >vro n<X^ Cjide 



272 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




•^Ided ed<Js 
over "to^^ 



To Cut Wedding Dress 
See Insert X 

1. Spread goods out on table. 

2. Pin pattern for Front of Wedding Dress with arrow on 
lengthwise of goods. 

3. Pin pattern for Back of Wedding Dress on goods. 

Place the shoulders of both patterns together. Cut out. 
(See picture.) 

4. Prick, with a pin, through lines showing the plaits, or use 
a tracing wheel. Remove pattern, and run basting thread through 
these pinholes. 

Cut a separate train, — for lining of the train of wedding dress. 
Cut it like the pattern of the train. 
To make — 

1. Baste lining train-section to train of dress, right sides 
facing. 

Stitch one-quarter inch from edge. Turn, and baste along 
edges. 

2. To Make Plaits- 
Fold goods backward along the lines of basting nearest the 

center-front and center-back. Baste. 

Bring folded edge over to other line of basting. 

3. Lay flat, and baste all the way to bottom of dress and 
train. Press with a warm iron. 

4. Stitch plaits down four inches from the waist line in front, 
and three inches in back. 




Pin ^\-» o u I d e KCj -^ t o^e tJier* 



What Was in the Fairy Bag 



273 



5. Finish neck with a very narrow hem. Work French knots 
around the hem. 

6. Make a narrow hem from waist line in front, across the 
shoulders, to waist line m back. 

7. Join skirt with French seams. 

8. Face the skirt, under arms, with an inch-wide bias facing. 

9. Open plaits at bottom of dress. 

10. Cut a bias facing one and one-quarter inches wide, for 
bottom of dress. Baste facing on right side. Stitch one-quarter 
inch from edge. Turn up on wrong side. 

Baste. Turn in, and hem the facing on wrong side. 

11. Turn in and hem the facing of train. 

Pattern 30. — Ladies' Work Bag 

Cut bag ten inches wide, and twenty-eight inches long. 
Make like Laundry Bag. Do not overhand seams, but make 
French seams. 

Or, 

Use a large flowered handkerchief. 

1. Fold handkerchief through the center, wrong side out. 

2. Stitch through the center of the folded handkerchief. 

3. Fold over on the stitching. 

4. Stitch, or overhand the two folded edges which are Ijing 
together. 

5. On one side of handkerchief turn down one thickness of 
goods. (Like an envelope flap.) 




Opider'c 
Veb 



:-^ 



BEFORe "roRNi»ja f^i.^p> 




F'»N»&He.Q 



L.&cite^' V/ork Ba^ 



274 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 




belt de^idi 



Do the same to the other side. "Tack" the center of the 
upper part of the folded edge of the flap to the single thickness 
lying just beneath. Do same to other side 

6. Make a small "box" plait (or double plait) in each single 
thickness of handkerchief at top. 

7. Sew the plaits together, and fasten a loop between the 
plaits. 

Finish bag with two little cotton balls, sewed to the lowest 
point. 

This makes a many-pocketed bag, and would be a pleasing 
Christmas gift to your mother. 

Pattern 31. — Ladies' Belt 

1. Buy belting which is sold by the running yard. 

2. Embroider the design given on this page upon the belt. 
Trace design through carbon paper; or transfer by tracing 

through tissue page, and turning the picture face-down on the 
material; trace picture again on wrong side. 

Pattern 32. — Babies' Bib 

1. Buy smallest size " huck-a-back " towel. 

2. Embroider on it the cross-stitch design given on this page. 

3. Through tracing paper, copy outline of neck given on this 
page. Cut out pattern. 

4. Fold towel through center lengthwise. 
Cut neck by pattern. 





CroQ^ StitcW pattern 




a9.Wecld[ind Drey^ 



O O 



a 

z 

o 
o 



c/) 

LU 

or 
o 



ON 

o 

Z 



,o_o__o oooo oooooooooooooooooooo 



^, 



^: 



J, 




What Was in the Fairy Bag 



275 



5. Bind neck with cotton or linen tape, leaving ends long 
enough to tie. 



Pattern 33. — Girls' Collar 

1. Trace pattern of collar through tissue or transfer paper. 
Cut out. 

2. Place pattern Avith double ring (oo) edge on a lengthwise 
fold of linen. 

3. Trace design on collar. 

4. Embroider scallops with close blanket stitches. 

5. Embroider rings with close " over-and-under " stitches — 
Satin Stitch. 

41. — French Hemming on Damask 

For folding table linen or damask, fold and crease a very- 
narrow hem, then fold the hem back on the right side, and over- 
hand the edge thus folded. Press open on right side. 

Note. — Or, run through the hemmer of the sewing machine, <&' 
having the needle unthreaded, using a very fine stitch : proceed as 
above. 

42. — Darning Stockings 

1. In learning to dam, it is well to use a piece of flexible card 
board, three and one-half inches long by three inches wide. 

2. With a large needle, puncture it three-quarters of an inch 
from the top, and three-quarters of an inch from the bottom, 
making holes one-eighth of an inch apart. 



Collar 
pi&ttem 




THEM JOIN /V.TOA 



276 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



3. Use zephyr, in a tapestry needle, and work as in picture on 
this page. 

4. Weave, with a contrasting shade of zephyr, in and out of 
the long stitches already taken. 

Cut a hole in a piece of muslin: draw edge together with the 
fingers, and darn with cotton thread as above. Stockings are 
darned in the same way. In actual darning never use a knot. 




Darnin<L 
3titcU 



43. — Darning Woolen Goods 
Darning is usually done by use of the running stitch. Use 
fine thread — cotton is preferred, about the size of the weaving 
threads of the goods. Draw the edges of the tear together, and 
weave across the opening with the running stitch. If the tear is 
■] very large, first baste a piece of goods like the garment under the 
tear, and take the stitches into this. Sometimes a raveling 
thread of the material is used to make an almost invisible darn. 

44. — Patching on Gingham 

1. Cut the hole to make a small square, clip corners, turn 
edges back and baste. 

2. Cut piece of goods three-quarters of an inch larger, on each 
side, than the hole thus formed, being careful to match figures of 
material. Clip corners off this piece and turn goods back on right 
side one-quarter of an inch, and crease. 

3. Pin and baste this under the hole, matching figures care- 
fully, and hem down, on right side and wrong side. Remove 
bastings. 



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PatdnmOj 



What Was in the Fairy Bag 



277 



Note. — Or a piece of goods may be cut one-quarter of an inch 
larger than the hole on each side and edges turned back one- 
quarter of an inch. Overhand each edge of the patch to each 
edge of the hole. 

45. — Patching on Flannel 

This is done in the same way as the hemmed patch on ging- 
ham, except that the edges are not turned in, but are catch-stitched 
down on both right and wrong side, as shown in picture. 

46. — Spider's Web 

An ornamental lace stitch. 

Use a piece of muslin three inches by six inches for practice. 
1, Fold it and baste edges. Thread a large needle with the 
red cotton, as used in former lessons. 

Draw or trace a figure like drawing shown on page 273. 

2. From underside of muslin, enter needle at a; pull through; 
point downward at h, upward at c, downward at d, upward at 
e, do^vnward at /. 

3. On wrong side, bring needle to the center g, at the cross- 
ing of the long stitches, and pull through to right side. 

4. Holding muslin in left hand, point the threaded eye of the 
needle toward you, under the thread ge; pull through; under 
gd, and ga, under gf, and continue until web is formed. Fasten in 
usual manner. 



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OHrtPTERXXXV 

iMJrtRY (FjRrtNCES 6T (RloMi: 

MARY FRANCES came into her mother's 
room on the evening of the day they all 
reached home. 
''Oh, Mother, I have the lovehest surprise for you! 
Please shut your eyes and don't peep. It will take 
me some time to get it ready." 

''Yes, dear," smiled her mother, "but I'm very 
anxious to see!" 

Mary Frances unlocked Mary Marie's trunk, and 
spread all the contents out on the bed. 

"I'll be back in one minute. Don't you peep, 
. , , Mother, dear!" she begged as she ran out of the room. 

I "^^ve the gj^^ brought back Mary Marie, dressed in her party 
loveViejt (jpggg and summer hat, and sat her up on the pillow. 
^urp«^e^ "Now," she cried, kissing her mother, "now, you 

foY^ou^ may look. Mother, dear!" 

"Why, what in the world, my dear little girl? 
Where did all these lovely clothes come from?" 




Oh. Mother 




A^nAw. vs/hat in the world , rny desir h'ttle^^irl? 



%l 





he 3pend3 hour5 in the 



room. 




Mary Frances at Home 



279 



''I made them, Mother, — I mean — I, and the 
Thimble People." 

''You made them!" exclaimed her mother; ''not 
that lovelj^ kimono and bath robe, and those cunning 
little bonnets, and that lovely automobile coat!" 

"Every one!" cried Mary Frances, dancing up and 
down. 

"Why, dear," said her mother, "I cannot believe 
my eyes! I thought you did very, very well in the few 
sewing lessons by mail, but I never dreamed — " 

"If the Thimble People hadn't helped me, Mother, 
I never could have made them; and if you hadn't 
sent me the beautiful goods, and my dear, lovely 
dolly, I couldn't have done it ! It had to be a secret 
until I finished the lessons — I couldn't tell Grandma, — 
and I was crazy to tell you!" 

"Who are the Thimble People?" asked her mother. 
Then Mary Frances told all about her new friends. 

When she finished, she showed the bundle of pat- 
terns last given her by the Thimble King. 

"We'll make these together, Mother, dear — if 
you say so?" 

"I certainly do say so, dear," said her mother. 




3Viovreci 

bundle 

of patten 



tternp 




Who ore the Thirr^hle People? 




280 



The Mary Frances Sewing Book 



''I would like to take some lessons myself — such 
delightful lessons; will you teach me?" 

''I'll do my best, — and — I just believe the Thim- 
ble People will help!'' said Mary Frances wisely; — 
and she thought she surely saw Scissors Shears wink at 
her. 




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